Contribution of the Government of Japan to Umm Qasr Port Project, Iraq

April 30, 2003

1. On April 25, 2003, the Government of Japan decided to make a contribution of US$ 2.5 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for carrying out an emergency dredging project for Umm Qasr Port.
   
   
2. Umm Qasr Port plays a critical role in receiving ships carrying humanitarian assistance to Iraq. The Port has not been dredged recently and it has become heavily silted and is unable to cater to big vessels such as big grain ships of the World Food Programme. The UNDP therefore requested the Government of Japan to provide assistance for emergency dredging of Umm Qasr Port.
   
   
3. Further delay in dredging Umm Qasr Port would increase its cost, and thus it would become more difficult to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. Therefore, this project is in urgent necessity. It is expected that the port operations will be fully functioned and humanitarian assistance will be smoothly delivered to the Iraqi people through this dredging project funded by the Government of Japan.

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