Emergency Assistance to Pakistan for Drought Disaster

October 3, 2000

On October 3 (Tue), the Government of Japan decided to extend an emergency grant aid of 481 million yen to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. When Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori visited Pakistan in August this year, the Government of Japan informed Pakistan that it would extend assistance, and it has now formally decided on its implementation.
In Baluchistan and Sind Provinces in Pakistan, a disastrous drought has caused great human and material damage since last summer. According to the Government of Pakistan, more than 140 people have died, approximately 2,200,000 people are afflicted, and crops and livestock have suffered severe losses.
In June this year, the Government of Japan extended emergency assistance of about 41 million yen in total to cope with the disaster. In view of the seriousness of this disaster, the Government of Japan has decided to extend this new emergency assistance from a humanitarian standpoint.
In response to nuclear testing conducted by Pakistan, the Government of Japan announced on May 29, 1998 that it would suspend new yen loans and new grants except emergency and humanitarian assistance and Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects. The assistance extended this time is in the emergency and humanitarian category.

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