Maputo — The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a US$ 1.5 million contribution from the Government of Japan to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to more than 52,000 people affected by the conflict in northern Mozambique. The contribution will help provide emergency in-kind food assistance to more than 25,800 displaced people. The funds will also help WFP to provide nutrition support to some 15,000 children under the age of five and 12,000 pregnant and nursing women.
"WFP appreciates this contribution from the people of Japan", says Antonella D'Aprile, WFP's Country Director in Mozambique. "This will certainly contribute to the ongoing efforts led by the Government of Mozambique in ensuring a Zero Hunger future for all its population. By supporting life-saving interventions in the country, we not only aim to assist with the most urgent food and nutritious needs of the conflict-affected populations in the north, but also assist with building resilient communities".
"The Government of Japan has decided to support food security all over the world", said the Ambassador of Japan, Mr. KIMURA Hajime. "The world is facing a severe food security problem. Since the Russia-Ukraine war began, the prices of foods have been inflating, and the inflation has had an especially large impact on developing countries. To mitigate this challenge, Japan, as the chair of G7 in 2023, decided to mobilize US$ 45 million to contribute to food security all over the world. Out of this initiative, US$ 1.5 million will be allocated to Mozambique to support people's lives in this country through a strong partnership with WFP".
"We will continue to make efforts to ensure global security in collaboration with the international community, including the G7. We stand side by side with the people of Mozambique, and we will continue to support our Mozambican friends to face the challenges of the ongoing crisis", stressed the Ambassador of Japan.
The Government of Japan is a long-standing partner of WFP. Since 2019, Japan has provided a total of US$ 23 million to WFP's humanitarian operations in Mozambique.
