Saudi Arabia Grants USD 416,270 Food Aid to Indonesia

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Saudi Arabia has provided food aid worth IDR 7 billion (approximately USD 416,270) to Indonesia ahead of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, with 7,000 packages set to be distributed to vulnerable families in several provinces.

The Indonesian National Alms Agency (Baznas) said the assistance comes from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre and will be delivered in the form of 7,000 food packages.

“So, each package is worth approximately IDR 1 million and will be distributed to several provinces,” Baznas chairman Noor Achmad said during the 2026 Food Package Distribution Program at the agency’s Jakarta headquarters on Thursday, February 12, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Of the total packages, 3,000 will go to Jakarta, 1,375 to West Java, 1,125 to Banten and 1,500 to Central Java. The provinces were selected based on assessments conducted by King Salman Relief.

“We only determine which areas and which communities within those provinces will receive the assistance. We choose areas that are truly in need,” he said.

Each food package contains 20 kilograms of rice, 2 liters of cooking oil, 2 kilograms of sugar, four cans of sardines, chili sauce, sweet soy sauce, 500 grams of salt and one box of instant noodles.

According to Noor, this marks the fifth consecutive year that Saudi Arabia has provided food aid to Indonesians ahead of Ramadan. Over this period, the program has reached approximately 130,000 beneficiaries.

He said the aid is highly anticipated by low-income families and is expected to help meet basic food needs throughout the fasting month. “God willing, one package for a small family can be used for one month, so they can go through Ramadan well, observe it peacefully and worship as best as possible,” he added.

Saudi Ambassador to Indonesia Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Amudi said the food assistance reflects the Saudi government’s commitment to supporting Muslim communities in various countries.

He added that the continuation of the program into its fifth year demonstrates the close ties between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. “I agree with what the Baznas chairman said, that this cooperation will continue. This is already the fifth time, and of course this is something we need to maintain going forward,” Faisal said. ***