Jakarta, October 16, 2026 – The Europe Today: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has approved the acceptance of assistance from neighbouring countries to help combat forest and land fires that have affected several provinces and the wider Southeast Asian region, Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir has said.
Nasir told reporters at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Thursday that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) was finalising the operational and technical procedures required to receive the assistance.
He said President Prabowo was closely monitoring the situation, which has caused significant environmental concerns across the region.
Before seeking international support, Indonesia had mobilised extensive domestic resources. As of October 13, a total of 60,177 personnel, including firefighters, military and police officers, forestry officials and local volunteers, had been deployed to tackle the fires.
Aircraft and helicopters have also been deployed to conduct aerial water-bombing operations and cloud seeding in areas at high risk of fire.
Nasir described the measures taken by Indonesia as decisive and robust, reaffirming the government’s commitment to resolving the crisis as quickly as possible.
The announcement follows an offer of assistance from Malaysia. During a meeting with Prabowo in Hambalang, West Java, on September 18, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi offered one aircraft, three helicopters and 52 firefighting personnel to support Indonesia’s efforts.
President Prabowo has described the haze caused by the fires as a shared environmental crisis, noting that although the fires originated in Indonesia, their effects extended to neighbouring countries.
He welcomed regional cooperation, emphasising the importance of collective efforts to address the environmental emergency and mitigate its cross-border impact.
