Assistance in Kind for the Afflicted in Sudan

November 6, 2007

In response to an appeal from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Government of Japan, concerned about a large number of people suffering from the intensified violence in the Darfur region of western Sudan, made a cabinet decision on November 6 (Tue) to provide assistance in kind for 10,000 people (10,000 blankets, 10,000 sleeping mats, 10,000 water containers, and 4,000 plastic sheets). This assistance in kind is based on the International Peace Cooperation Law and will be used in the humanitarian relief activities that UNHCR is conducting in Darfur.
The Government of Japan has been providing active support for the peace process in Darfur by, for example, providing financial assistance (totaling about 85 million dollars) for Darfur and attending the Darfur peace talks held in Sirte, Libya, on October 27. The Government of Japan expects that this assistance in kind for afflicted people in Sudan will improve their living conditions and create an environment for peace negotiations through dialogue.
Following the cabinet meeting, a ceremony to hand over the materials to UNHCR will be held at the stockpile base where Japan’s humanitarian relief supply goods are kept in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, at 11 a.m. local time (Japan Time: 4 p.m.). The ceremony will be attended by UNHCR officials, officials of the Government of Japan including representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet Office, as well as officials of the Government of Sudan and others.

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