Emergency Assistance for the Flood Disaster in the Republic of Namibia

May 25, 2011
Japanese

On Tuesday, May 24, the Government of Japan decided to provide emergency relief goods (blankets, plastic sheets, etc.), that were stockpiled in the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s warehouse in Johannesburg, worth 12 million yen to the Government of the Republic of Namibia through JICA in response to disastrous floods in the latter country. Mr. Chiaki Takahashi, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, communicated this decision to Mr. Mauritz Lucky GAWANAB, Charge d’ Affaires a.i. of the Republic of Namibia to Japan.
The northern parts of the Republic of Namibia has suffered floods which were caused by the extremely heavy rainfall over a large part of southern Africa in mid-March. According to the Government of the Republic of Namibia, as of May 20, the death toll was over 60 and the number of affected people reached approximately 134,000. Moreover, there is concern that more serious effects such as a malaria epidemic among the disaster victims may occur.
In light of this situation, the Government of Japan has decided to extend emergency assistance in response to the request by the Government of the Republic of Namibia.
In March this year, in relation to the Great East Japan Earthquake, H.E. Mr. Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia sent a letter of condolence to Prime Minister Naoto Kan and the Government of the Republic of Namibia provided a relief donation of one million US dollars to Japan.

(*This is a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

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