Prime Minister Helen Clark is heading to Indonesia for an international aid summit as a giant operation to get food to the thousands of homeless and hungry is hampered by bad weather.
Foreign Minister Phil Goff is also heading to Jakarta for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit to co-ordinate the international relief effort for tsunami victims.
The meeting, this Thursday, was proposed by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Australian Prime Minister John Howard will also be present.
Representatives and leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region, from China, Japan and South Korea, will also attend along with a delegation from the United States.
"Our attendance will ensure New Zealand's aid commitments fit appropriately within a co-ordinated international response," Mr Goff said.
He will visit Phuket before the summit and Aceh afterwards.
The Government has hired a private helicopter company based at Kalimantan (Borneo) to deliver emergency supplies to devastated areas of Aceh.
National Utility Helicopters will operate a Bell 212 chopper for up to 30 days in Aceh province, the $300,000 cost being paid by the Government's relief agency NZAID, said Mr Goff.
Clark, Goff to join aid summit
Helen Clark
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