Food Aid for Palestinian Refugees

March 1, 2004

The Government of Japan has decided to extend food aid of 500 million yen (to purchase flour) for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Notes to this effect were exchanged on March 1 (Mon) at the UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza between Mr. Koichi Obata, Japanese Ambassador to Jordan, and Mr. Peter Hansen, Commissioner of the UNRWA.
The continued clashes between Israel and Palestinians have severely affected the Palestinian economy, bringing great hardship to the Palestinian refugees.
Under these conditions, the UNRWA, which is conducting aid activities including intensive food aid for the poor class of Palestinian refugees, has requested food aid from the Government of Japan. Taking into account the serious food shortage among the Palestinian refugees, Japan has decided to extend a fund to purchase flour through the UNRWA, from a humanitarian point of view and with a view to alleviating the impact of the military operations in Iraq on the peace and stability in the Middle East.
The project is expected to improve the food supply of the Palestinian refugees.

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