Fikremariam Tesfaye
13 December 2007
Addis Ababa — The embassy of Japan in Ethiopia plans to sign a grant agreement amounting to over seven million USD with up to 13 governmental and non-governmental organizations during the Japanese Fiscal Year 2007 which runs from April 2007-March 2008.
This was disclosed in a statement distributed at a ceremony for the grant agreement of 587,872 USD signed on Tuesday between the embassy and seven non-governmental organization and a regional education bureau.
The grant agreement made for the fourth time as part of the grant assistance for grassroots and human security projects will support five development projects in the Oromia Regional State, an Education Bureau of the Amhara Regional State and a foundation for autistic children in their overall efforts towards realizing human security, especially for the most needy and vulnerable people.
"The embassy plans to sign an additional 7 to 13 grant contracts in a few months time, amounting to at least 1.9 million US dollars and possibly over 2 million US dollars in total for the Japanese fiscal year 2007 (April 2007 - March 2008)," the statement said.
The pledge includes a grant agreement worth five million USD scheduled to be signed next week with the Afar National Regional State for the region's Water Supply Project supported by the Japanese government, according to a media alert sent to The Daily Monitor on Wednesday.
Since 1989, the government of Japan has been supporting not-for- profit organizations thorough its grant assistance for grassroots and human security projects based on its belief that human security must be given priority in the development effort.
The recipient organizations who signed the grant contracts are the Amhara Development Association (USD 82,253); Aw-Abdal Primary School (85,866 USD); Becho Woreda Education Bureau (81,782 USD); Ethio-Wetlands and Natural Resources Association (83,794 USD); Management Committee of Yabello Adventist Primary School (83,258 USD); (6) Nia Foundation known as the Joy Center (86,183 USD); and Selam Environmental Development Association (USD 84,736).
After signing the agreements with the representatives from the beneficiary organizations, Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia Kinichi Komano said it was in his sincere hope that these projects would benefit the most vulnerable and deprived people and the needy communities in Ethiopia.
He said he was optimistic that the projects would result in empowering the people, who in turn, would eventually contribute to the social and economic development of their country.
The ambassador stressed that the Japanese government was committed to supporting efforts towards the realization of human security in Ethiopia, which means a better and decent life for all.
Up to 2006, more than 15 million US dollars have been granted to various not-for-profit organizations in Ethiopia for projects such as school construction, water resource development, agriculture, health projects and others.
In 2007 alone, the Embassy of Japan signed 18 grant contracts, amounting to $1,438,190 US dollars.
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