YOKOHAMA - The United Nations World Food Programme welcomed this week a donation package of some JPY 2.3 billion from the Government of Japan. The contribution will provide urgently needed food and nutritional assistance to the most vulnerable people in six different countries.
“WFP is deeply grateful for Japan’s continuing support. This year in particular, the ‘perfect storm’ of rising food prices, weather emergencies, and political instability, has been hitting hard the most vulnerable people in the world. Thanks to Japan’s contribution, WFP will be able to boost much needed nutrition and food security particularly among children and women,” said Mohamed Saleheen, Director, WFP Japan and Korea Relations.
The funds will be utilised to purchase food such as cereals, pulses, and fortified blended food to support people affected by conflict and natural disasters, refugees, internally displaced persons, and other chronically food insecure people including malnourished children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
The breakdown of the contribution is as follows: Bangladesh (JPY 810 million), Uganda (JPY 490 million), Chad (JPY 270 million), the occupied Palestinian territory (JPY 270 million), Lesotho (JPY 180 million), and Central African Republic (JPY 250 million).
So far this year, Japan’s contribution to WFP has reached approximately US$ 248 million (approximately JPY 19 billion), making it the second largest donor to WFP.