Japan contribution to UNRWA food assistance programme – UN News Service

Japan contributes JPY 500 million to

UNRWA's food assistance programme

Amman: The Government of Japan and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) signed an agreement in Amman today under which the Government of Japan will contribute 500 million yen (around US$4.27 million) for UNRWA's food assistance programme benefiting needy Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The agreement was signed by Japan's Ambassador to Jordan Mr. Koichi Obata and UNRWA's Commissioner-General Mr. Peter Hansen, at a ceremony held at UNRWA Headquarters in Wadi Seer in Amman.

The Japanese Government's contribution to UNRWA's food assistance programme will be used to purchase wheat flour for distribution by the Agency to needy refugee families registered with UNRWA as Special Hardship Cases, as well as in the Agency's nutritional support programme benefiting nursing mothers and pregnant women.

Japan, a major donor of cash and food assistance to UNRWA, has also been a generous contributor to projects implemented by the Agency in the five fields of operations. The Japanese Government's contributions to UNRWA's regular budget, food aid and projects over the last 10 years amounted to more than $220 million. Japan has also contributed more than $5 million over the last few years towards improving physical conditions in refugee camps in Jordan, upgrading equipment and facilities at the Wadi Seer and Amman Training centres, constructing and furnishing a school in Jabal Ashrafieh in Amman and the construction of an extension to the Agency's mother and child clinic at Jabal al Hussein camp.

UNRWA provides basic education, health, relief and social services for more than 4 million Palestine refugees registered with the Agency, of whom about 1.7 million are in Jordan.