WFP welcomes Government of Japan funding to improve the food security of particularly vulnerable Mozambicans
Maputo – The Government of Japan has disbursed two grants totalling almost US$ 4 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Mozambique to enable the provision of emergency assistance to more than 36,100 people displaced by violence in the north of the country and to 17,800 drought-impacted people in southern Gaza and Inhambane provinces.
Both communities are being hit hard by the adverse effects of the war in Ukraine, notably rapid food price inflation.
The assistance earmarked for the south is to be distributed primarily during the next “lean” season – October 2022-March 2023 – when needs are most acute.
“The Government of Japan is extremely concerned about the food security situation in Mozambique”, said Kimura Hajime, its ambassador to the country. “Our provision of these two grants underscores that, and is consistent with the commitment to improved global food security made by Prime Minister Kishida at the G7 summit in Germany in June. We stand side by side with our Mozambican friends.”
”We are most grateful to the Government of Japan for these generous contributions to help many of the most in need in the south and north”, said Pierre Lucas, WFP’s Deputy Country Director in Mozambique. ”It’s consistent support is key to saving lives in emergencies and helping to build the resilience of families and communities to future shocks”.
The Government of Japan is a long-standing partner of WFP in Mozambique. In 2020 and 2021, Japan contributed US$ 5.29 to WFP to provide food assistance and livelihoods support to refugees and asylum-seekers in Maratane Refugee Camp in Nampula Province and to internally displaced people in Cabo Delgado province. In May 2019, Japan provided US$ 6.9 million for emergency food assistance to people affected by Cyclone Idai in central Mozambique.
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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.
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