Japan's Reconstruction Assistance to Iraq (Status of Efforts)

December 2003

1. Japan has announced that it will provide up to a total of US$5 billion in assistance to Iraq. Of that figure, to date assistance amounting US$86 million has already been decided on and implemented. Japan's assistance to Iraq has already achieved various results. Among these are the creation of employment for about 35,000 people to implement assistance in waste collection and building repair work in Baghdad, and benefits to about 1 million children through the repair of schools and provision of school supplies. Other efforts are also steadily progressing.
   
   
2. On the occasion of the International Conference on Reconstruction in Iraq held in Madrid, which Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi attended in October, the President of the Iraqi Governing Council Ayad Allawi and Iraqi Minister for Foreign Affairs Hushyar Zibari both expressed their gratitude for the assistance provided by Japan. In addition, persons involved with the Baghdad City Advisory Council have visited the Embassy of Japan in Baghdad to convey a letter of appreciation, which expressed gratitude and sentiments that "Japan is not providing words alone, it is truly helping the people of Iraq." Moreover, it is not only government officials expressing such sentiments but many Iraqi people themselves. For example, a lady who is head of the Institute for Down Syndrome, which has received assistance from Japan, has expressed that she is "so grateful I could cry," while clasping the hands of Foreign Ministry officials.
   
   
3. The Government of Japan is committed to continuing to actively provide assistance to Iraq.