Presentation Ceremony of Police H.Q. Equipment to the Governorate of Al-Muthanna (including Samawah), Iraq

September 16, 2005

1. The presentation ceremony of police headquarters equipment to the Governorate of Al-Muthanna, provided by Japan's grassroots human security grant aid, was held on September 15 (Thu) in the compound of the police headquarters. Attending the ceremony on the Iraqi side were officials from the police of the Al-Muthanna Governorate, and on the Japanese side officials of the Liaison Office in Samawah of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces (JGSDF).
2. Japan believes that, in order to stabilize public order in Iraq, it is essential to advance the political process toward establishing self-government by the Iraqi people and to stabilize the people's livelihood by promoting reconstruction and rehabilitation. The Government of Japan has therefore been cooperating with the efforts of the Iraqi people.
3. The police of the Governorate of Al-Muthanna play a major role in maintaining public security in the area. There is, however, a shortage of even the minimal amount of equipment needed to conduct investigations. It is expected that the operational function of the police, including investigation, will be strengthened through this provision of equipment (such as working desks, chairs and video cameras for investigation). This provision of equipment will create synergy with other assistance that Japan has extended so far, such as emergency grant aid to provide police vehicles and grassroots human security grant aid to provide equipment for police check points.

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