Press Releases
Courtesy call on Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs MATSUMOTO Hisashi by trainees from the “Emergency Assistance for Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon: Fighting Food Insecurity Through Entrepreneurship” hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)



On February 4, commencing at 10:00 a.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. MATSUMOTO Hisashi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call by the 16 trainees who were in Japan to participate in the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) training program, “Emergency Assistance for Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon: Fighting Food Insecurity Through Entrepreneurship.” The training program is implemented by UNITAR with support from the Japanese Government.
- At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto stated that the world is currently facing complex crises such as climate change and conflict, and that Japan and the international community are responding to these crises under the principle of 0uman security, and from this perspective, initiatives to reduce food insecurity and bring employment to local economies are important. He expressed his hope that this training course would be meaningful.
- After a brief explanation of the training program and an expression of gratitude to the Government of Japan by Ms. Mikami, the Head of UNITAR Hiroshima Office, three representatives of the trainees introduced the outcomes of the training program.
- Finally, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto expressed his expectations for the participants to create innovation in their respective countries based on the achievements gained through this training, and stated that he was confident that they would contribute to the reduction of food insecurity and the development of the local economy including through the creation of new businesses and the expansion of existing ones.
Established in 1963, UNITAR's main duties are to provide training for government officials from developing countries and to conduct research related to the functions and objectives of the United Nations. Its headquarter is located in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2003, the Hiroshima Office was established as the only international organization office in Japan located in Hiroshima.
This is a capacity-building support program for youth and others in Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon to equip them with the knowledge and skills to improve food security and build sustainable food systems, with the aim of mobilizing and empowering them, and is being implemented by the UNITAR Hiroshima Office with financial support from the Japanese government. For this visit to Japan, 16 trainees who achieved particularly good results in the online course (Phase 1) have been selected, and the aim is to gain a deeper understanding of contents studied in Phase 1, including on-site training.