Exchange of Notes concerning Grant Aid (Food Aid) to the Republic of Burundi through the World Food Programme (WFP)

February 27, 2008

The Government of Japan has decided to extend, through the World Food Programme (WFP), grant assistance (food aid) of 340 million yen to the Republic of Burundi, which has many vulnerable groups such as internally displaced persons, women and children who are suffering from chronic food shortage because of internal conflict, poverty and other reasons. Notes to this effect were exchanged on February 26 (Tue) (same day local time) in Rome between Mr. Noriteru Fukushima, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Japanese Embassy in Italy, and Ms. Susana Malcorra, Deputy Executive Director of WFP.
The outline of this grant assistance is as follows:

(1) Contents of the assistance

This assistance is intended to provide WFP with funds necessary to purchase and transport rice, with a view to improving the food situation of the vulnerable groups in Burundi.

(2) Necessity of the assistance

As a result of the civil war that lasted for 13 years from 1993 to 2005, 300,000 people died and as many as 1.2 million people became internally displaced or refugees in other countries, leaving the country devastated and the economy stagnant. Burundi is a desperately poor country --- although more than 90% of Burundi’s workforce are engaged in agriculture, agricultural production accounts for less than half of the GDP and about 89% of the population live on two dollars a day. Because the civil war has kept agricultural production at the same level as before it started, there is a shortage of somewhere between 300,000 to 400,000 tons of food every year. The rate of malnutrition is 44% and anemia afflicts 31% of pregnant women and 56% of children of five years or younger. The country’s rate of population increase is 3% per annum. WFP has been distributing food to the vulnerable groups and forecasted beneficiaries number in 2008 is 1,140,000.

(3) Effect of the assistance

In response to a request from the WFP, the Government of Japan has decided to extend this food aid from a humanitarian point of view in light of the situation of the vulnerable groups. It is expected that this food aid will ameliorate the food shortage of these people.

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