Japan Supports WFP Food Assistance To Vulnerable Palestinians In Gaza
Published on 02 April 2015
RAMALLAH – The government of Japan has recently announced a US$5 million (JPY 606.3 million) donation to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support the most vulnerable Palestinian families living in Gaza.
Japan’s contribution will enable WFP to provide nutritious food to approximately 162,000 of the poorest and most needy Palestinians in Gaza for three months. Some of them will receive assistance through WFP’s innovative electronic food vouchers, while others will receive in-kind food rations.
“WFP would like to thank the Government of Japan for providing urgently-needed food assistance to the most impoverished residents of Gaza,” said WFP Representative and Country Director Daniela Owen. “With so much suffering, compounded by the slow rate of recovery, this food is one thing that the people of Gaza can count on. We greatly appreciate Japan’s support to make this assistance possible.”
The donation brings Japan’s total contribution to WFP programmes in Palestine to US$37 million since 2005, placing Japan among WFP’s top three donors here.
Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to the Palestinian Authority Junya Matsuura says: “This US$5 million grant is a token of the Japanese people’s support and dedication to provide nutritious food to the most vulnerable Palestinians. Japan recently decided to disburse USD$100 million mainly through international organizations including WFP. We will continue our efforts in helping WFP to mitigate the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza.”
Japan’s generosity also allows WFP to continue investing in the local economy. Since 2011, more than US$154 million has been injected into Gaza’s economy through WFP’s local food purchases and electronic vouchers.
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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 75 countries.
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For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Rossella Fanelli, WFP/Jerusalem, Mob. +972 54 6773160, rossella.fanelli@wfp.org
Colin Kampschoer, WFP/Jerusalem, Mob. +972 546773136, colin.kampschoer@wfp.org
Yuki Igarashi, Second Secretary, Representative Office of Japan to the Palestinian Authority,yuki.igarashi@mofa.go.jp
Document Sources: World Food Programme (WFP)
Country: Japan
Subject: Assistance, Food, Gaza Strip, Humanitarian relief, Poverty
Publication Date: 02/04/2015