The Government of Japan has announced a JPY 260 million (US$2.6million approximately) donation to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support the most vulnerable non-refugee Palestinian families living in Gaza.
Japan’s contribution will enable WFP to provide wheatflourenriched with vitamins and minerals to 89,000 of the poorestnon-refugee Palestinians for two-and-a-half months. WFP will also use the contribution to buy Japanese-produced, high-quality canned tuna – an excellent source of protein and micronutrients, such as vitamin A, zinc, and iron –and a key commodity in WFP’s nutritious food rations. The canned tuna also has a long shelf-life, allowing WFP to store part of the purchase as a contingency stock in case of an emergency.
Ambassador of Japan to the Palestinian Authority Takeshi Okubo, Minister of Social DevelopmentIbrahim Al-Shaer andWFP Representative and Country Director Daniela Owen all signed an agreement confirming the contribution today in Ramallah.
“We are grateful forthe generosity of Japan and its people and their longstanding support for WFPin Palestine,” saidDaniela Owen. “Our solid partnership with Japan is now more important than ever in helping us continue our assistance to Gaza’s poorest households, which are facing enormous challenges in providing their families with food and basic needs.”
Over the past 10 years, Japan has contributed more than US$40 million to WFP programmes in Palestine, making Japan one of the top three donors in the country as well as one of the largest donors to WFP globally. These significant contributions from the Government of Japan have allowed WFP to maintain assistance to the poorest non-refugee Palestinians, as well as invest in the local economy through local purchases and cash and vouchers that people can redeem in local shops. Since 2011, more than US$200 million has been injected into the Palestinian economy through WFP’s local food purchases and electronic vouchers.
AmbassadorOkubo said: “We will continue to support interventions which protect and promote human security of the Palestinian people to adequate food of adequate quality as well as to contribute to the realization of their determination and efforts to establish a viable independent Palestinian state living in peace, security and prosperity with its neighboring countries”.
Palestinian Authority Minister of Social Development, Ibrahim Al-Shaer said: “Japan has always been a devoted friend of the Palestinian people and supported their just causepolitically, economically and socially. We are grateful to this great country, its government and people, for the generous contributions for food assistance,particularlyto our people in Gaza. We also value the continued support of WFP an our partnership which has a substantial impact on people facing economic hardship.”
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
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