Funding for the Japan Platform (JPF)

March 5, 2004

The Government of Japan decided on March 5 (Fri) to contribute two billion yen of funding to the NGO units comprising the Japan Platform (JPF), with the aim of supporting and strengthening their activities.
Out of the two billion yen, 1.7 billion yen will be disbursed from the FY2003 supplementary budget for humanitarian assistance activities in such fields as medicine, health and education to be conducted in Iraq by the Japanese NGOs (non-governmental organizations) affiliated with the JPF. The remainder, 300 million yen, will be disbursed from the FY2003 initial budget for Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects for other emergency humanitarian assistance activities in areas of conflict and disaster.
The funding for the JPF will be used to enable JPF-affiliated NGOs to carry out promptly such activities as preliminary investigation, setting up of a local framework, distribution of emergency goods, when engaging in emergency humanitarian assistance activities in areas of conflict and disaster. This funding is expected to reinforce the foundation of public participation and promote visibility of Japanese NGOs' contribution extended to those afflicted by disasters and conflicts.
The Government of Japan contributed to the NGO units 580 million yen in July 2001, 610 million yen in September 2002, and 700 million yen in May 2003, funding which is being utilized effectively for emergency humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, Zambia, Iraq and Iran.

(END)