DUSHANBE, November 25, 2009, Asia-Plus — On Tuesday November 24, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of Japan signed here a Grant Agreement for a new donation of 300,000,000 Japanese yen (equivalent to 3 million U.S. dollars) to assist vulnerable people in Tajikistan, according to the WFP Dushanbe Office.
The agreement was singed by Mr. Totsuka Shinji, Deputy of the Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Uzbekistan, and the WFP Country Director Alzira Ferreira in the WFP Country Office in Dushanbe.
This generous contribution, which takes effect today, will be used by WFP to purchase wheat flour and pulses for its ongoing programs for victims of natural disasters; children in school feeding programs; tuberculosis patients and their families; destitute rural families in the hard times of the year; and malnourished children and their mothers.
“We are very grateful to the Government and people of Japan for this significant support to WFP’s work,” said Ms. Ferreira. “Japan has consistently shown itself, over many years, as one of the strongest supporters of both WFP and Tajikistan.”
Mr. Shinji said that Japan looks forward to a bright future for the people of Tajikistan, especially the hundreds of thousands of children who are today receiving a nutritious meal at the same time as they gain an education. “Tajikistan will be assured of a successful if we can contribute to the human security of this important country of Central Asia,” Mr. Shinji said.
WFP will hold a “welcome ceremony” on Friday November 27 for the wheat flour purchased by Japan under the existing grant of 450 million Japanese yen (equivalent to $4.7 million U.S. dollars), which is arriving this week by rail from Kazakhstan.
