JAKARTA, Indonesia

The Indonesian government sent humanitarian assistance to Mozambique and Zimbabwe to help them recover from the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai.

"Indonesia hopes that this grant will contribute greatly to the recovery and reconstruction efforts,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters in a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

The cyclone claimed nearly 1,300 lives when it struck Africa in March 2019.

“We need to stand together and share our burden through cooperation and solidarity," she said, adding that Indonesia and Africa share strong historical bonds, which must be echoed by efforts in handling the impact of natural disasters and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

*Writing by Maria Elisa Hospita from Anadolu Agency's Indonesian language service​​​​​​​