Arab News Japan

TOKYO: FUJII Hisayuki, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on Monday stated that UNRWA is the backbone of all humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip and beyond, and UNRWA must not be prevented from effectively fulfilling its mandate, Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported.

Fujii was speaking at the Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza, where he also expressed his high regard for Egypt’s efforts to mediate the situation in Gaza, to bring in humanitarian supplies and to receive critically ill patients during talks with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty.

The Cairo conference was hosted by Egypt and the United Nations and attended by ministers and representatives of countries from the Middle East, Europe and North America, as well as international organizations.

Participants expressed grave concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and stressed the imperative of resolving the crisis as soon as possible.

Fujii said it was the international community’s responsibility to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and renewed Japan’s demand for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and expanded humanitarian assistance.

Japan has provided around $130 million of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. He stressed that the only realistic solution to the conflict is the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine and said Japan fully supports the two-state solution and welcomes the establishment of the Global Alliance to advance the two-state solution led by Saudi Arabia and the EU.

In his meeting with Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Fujii said that Japan is supporting Egypt’s efforts by providing medical equipment and materials and training for medical personnel, and that Japan would like to contribute to the stabilization of the Middle East region, while reaffirming the importance of the region’s stability. Foreign Minister Abdelatty expressed his gratitude for Japan’s support.

Fujii also met with Sigrid Kaag, UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza to whom he expressed his grave concern over the prolonged humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip while expressing his admiration for Kaag’s efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

He added that closer coordination among donor countries and UN agencies is essential to further expand necessary aid to Gaza in an effective and efficient manner.