Emergency Aid for Afflicted People in Iraq

February 26, 1999

1. On February 26 (Fri.), the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency aid of 950,000 dollars to the UNICEF and of 600,000 dollars to the ICRC, totaling 1,550,000 dollars, to ease the plight of the people of the Republic of Iraq.
   
   
2. The economic sanctions based on United Nations Security Council resolutions have been continuing in Iraq since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. The plight of the Iraqi people is becoming increasingly serious because of malnutrition, worsening sanitary conditions as well as the shortage of daily necessities such as food and medicine.
   
   
3. Taking into account these circumstances, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have issued appeals for humanitarian assistance for afflicted people in Iraq this year.
         In response to these appeals, the Government of Japan has decided to provide this assistance to contribute to alleviating the plight of the Iraqi people.
   
   
4. Japan has been continuously pressing the Government of Iraq to comply with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions. At the same time, Japan strongly hopes that the plight of the people in Iraq will be mitigated as soon as possible by this assistance.
   
   

Related Information (Japan-Iraq Relations)