UN Welcomes Japan’s $30.2mln Support for Food Assistance in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA – The Government of Japan has contributed 30.24 million US dollars to support Ethiopians in need of food aid, according to the UN’s World Food Program (WFP). 

Channeled through the National Disaster Risk Management Commission, the contribution will meet the acute food needs of over 1.6 million people in six regions in the framework of the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan.

The regions are Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Sidama, and Tigray.

The donation comes at a critical time for Ethiopia’s food security, said Were Omamo WFP Ethiopia Country Director.

With this contribution from Japan, WFP has been handling the procurement, shipment, receipt and overland transport of 72,440MT of wheat to the government warehouses.

The food will be forwarded to distribution points by the National Disaster Risk Management Commission.

Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia Matsunaga Daisuke said that the contribution is intended to mitigate unprecedented impacts on vulnerable people by disasters such as COVID-19, desert locusts, drought, and flooding.

Japanese Prime Minister Abe pledged to make the latest support during his talks with Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed last April.

“This contribution is also based on our commitment to support African Development particularly through the TICAD (Tokyo International Conference on African Development) Initiative,” according to Japan embassy in Addis Ababa.

In the last five years alone, Japan has made donations of over US$20 million for WFP’s activities in the East African nation.

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Featured Image: The latest contribution will meet the acute food needs of over 1.6 million people in six regions of Ethiopia. [Photo WFP Ethiopia]