DUSHANBE, November 27, 2009, Asia-Plus — With winter quickly approaching in Tajikistan, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) held a colorful welcome ceremony on November 27 for the arrival of 1,114 metric tons of wheat flour purchased through a generous donation from the Government of Japan for vulnerable people in Tajikistan, According to the WFP Dushanbe Office.
The wheat flour, which is being stored in the WFP warehouse in Dushanbe, is the final instalment of food in Japan’s US $4.7 million donation to the UN food assistance organization, together 3,550 tons in the WFP warehouse in Khujand. This week, WFP and officials of the Japanese Government signed a Grant Agreement for a new donation of 300,000,000 Japanese yen (US $3.3 million).
“WFP cannot thank the Government and people of Japan enough for this solid and consistent support,” said Alzira Ferreira of WFP. “Thanks to Japan, we can make good progress in achieving food security for all, in accordance with the Government of Tajikistan’s food security policy of 2009.”
Ms. Ferreira emphasized that 2009 has been a record year for Japan’s support to WFP – its global contribution of US $196 million makes it the third-largest donor country to the organization. In Tajikistan, Japan is the second-largest donor to WFP in Tajikistan.
The warehouse ceremony was attended by a delegation of senior Japanese officials based in Tajikistan, led by Yoshihiro Nakayama, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan, and Kaiho Seiji, the Resident Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Gulchehra Bozorova, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, and Malika Qurbonova, Second Secretary of the Department of UN and International Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. The officials were greeted by WFP staff with the traditional Tajik welcome of flat bread, salt and honey. The bread was baked with a small quantity of the wheat flour donated by Japan.
The officials toured the warehouse to observe the stacks of wheat flour sacks, which will soon de dispatched to WFP operations in all four regions of the country. Mr. Nakayama, Ms. Bozorova and Ms. Qurbonova signed the log book for the wheat flour to confirm its receipt in the warehouse.
“We are fully committed to supporting human security in Tajikistan,” said Mr. Nakayama. “We know that this assistance will promote nutrition, education, improved rural infrastructure and household stability in this important country in Central Asia.”
Ms. Ferreira underlined the excellent partnership between WFP and the Government of Tajikistan as the cornerstone for WFP’s programs in Tajikistan, which include food for victims of natural disasters, children in primary schools, tuberculosis patients undergoing medical treatment and their families, destitute rural families in the hard times of the year, and malnourished children and their mothers.
“We are proud of our long history of cooperation with the Government of Tajikistan and the achievements we have made together in assisting vulnerable people,” said Ms. Ferreira.
Japan has been a major donor in Tajikistan for many years. Over the last eight years alone, Japan has given a total of US $17.2 million to WFP for both emergency relief and longer-term assistance activities.
“Japan has consistently shown itself, over many years, as one of the strongest supporters of both WFP and Tajikistan,” said Ms. Ferreira. “We are proud to be the trusted partner of this extraordinarily generous donor and to share Japan’s commitment to human security in Tajikistan.”
