Japan donates $3.2mn to WFP to provide lifesaving assistance in Central African Republic

The Government of Japan has contributed USD 3.2 million to the United Nations World Food Programme to deliver lifesaving assistance to vulnerable people, including women and children in the Central African Republic.

The funds provided by the Japanese Government will allow the World Food Programme to buy some 1,700 metric tons of food commodities to provide food and nutrition assistance to more than 180,000 vulnerable people who had to flee their homes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under the age of five and primary school children.

“We are grateful to the Government of Japan for this timely contribution to support crisis-affected people in CAR. Humanitarian needs are increasing in the country and this contribution will help alleviate the suffering of tens of thousands of conflict-affected people, particularly those uprooted from their homes, and vulnerable children,” the World Food Programme (WFP) Deputy Country Director, Ms. Aline Rumonge opined.

This contribution comes following the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7), held in August in Japan and whose declaration includes the improvement of food security.

“This is a sign of a good cooperation between the Government of Japan and the Central African Republic. Our aim is to extend the Japanese economic cooperation through WFP with a view to promoting the economic and social development of the Central African Republic,” Tsutomu Osawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Central African Republic cited.