Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan and the United Nations have signed an agreement for financial cooperation for the “Housing Environment Improvement Plan in Informal Residences to Promote Return (UN cooperation / UN-Habitat implementation),” which aims to assist people in or returning to Syria.

The agreement was signed in Nairobi, Kenya, by MATSUURA Hiroshi, resident representative of the Japanese government of the International Organization in Nairobi, and Anacláudia Rossback, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program. The value of the aid is 813 million yen (approximately $5.5 million).

Since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis in March 2011, the humanitarian situation in the country has continued to deteriorate, and although the situation in the country has improved slightly since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024, a serious humanitarian situation remains.

It is estimated that around 16.5 million people are in need of assistance and the demand for aid is likely to increase further because of the numbers of internally displaced and returnees.

This agreement aims to improve the living conditions of people affected by the conflict in Syria and improve the humanitarian situation by repairing essential social infrastructure in informal residences in Aleppo and Homs provinces.

“Informal residences” in Syria are defined as “areas where residential buildings are prohibited or where residential buildings that violate building rules are located, and the ownership of those buildings is not officially registered”.