UK government backs Prabowo's free nutritious meal program

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The United Kingdom government affirms its commitment to supporting the health and education of Indonesian children through the Free Nutritious Meals program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto.

In the Joint Statement document of the two countries, published on the gov.uk page, in Jakarta on Thursday, the UK government echoed the importance of proper nutrition to foster a healthy and competitive young generation.

"We recognized the importance of proper nutrition in nurturing young minds and supporting their education," the statement said.

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The statement quoted President Prabowo Subianto describing the national program's focus on providing healthy and nutritious food to pregnant women and schoolchildren.

The UK government stated that the program is part of Indonesia's efforts to realize the Vision of Golden Indonesia 2045 under which the Indonesian government aims for a smart and healthy generation.

"The president outlined Indonesia’s national program to provide nutritious and healthy meals for school children and expectant mothers with a view to attaining the Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision," the statement said.

Furthermore, the two countries expressed hope to explore cooperation in the priority program, focusing on sharing best practices and lessons between Indonesia and the UK.

The Joint Statement also involved Prabowo's meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, the United Kingdom, which took place on Thursday.

Earlier, during the G20 Summit in Brazil on November 18, Prabowo also highlighted that the Free Nutritious Meals program is an important part of the Indonesian government's strategy to empower the younger generation and support education.

He stated that hunger and poverty are real challenges in Indonesia, a country with the fourth-largest population in the world.

The United Kingdom's endorsement adds to the growing international support for Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals program, which already includes the two superpowers: the US and China.