Arab News Japan

The Government of Japan contributed $4 million USD to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to provide food assistance for eight months to 26,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in camps in Iraq, announced the United Nations in Iraq March 25.

“In 2020, Japan provided an overall assistance package for Iraq of US$41 million – including WFP’s programme to help meet the food security of IDPs,” said Ambassador of Japan to Iraq Naofumi Hashimoto. “With this latest contribution, Japan’s assistance to people affected by the crisis reaches a total of US$540 million since 2014. We hope that the assistance from the Government and people of Japan will help assure that displaced households meet their basic food needs.”

https://twitter.com/WFP_Iraq/status/1242830941309014016?s=20

The displaced people will receive electronic vouchers that they can use to purchase food from shops in the camps.

According to the UN in Iraq, there are around 1.4 million IDPs, who are still unable to return to their homes due to significant issues such as security, employment and services.

The Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan 2020 requires $520 million USD for the humanitarian assistance IDPs in Iraq. However, if the plan is ignored, the fate of refugees in Iraq will be a forgotten cause.

“We’re grateful to the people of Japan for supporting WFP’s operations to provide food assistance to those people in Iraq who are still unable to return home,” said WFP Representative in Iraq Abdirahman Meygag. “This contribution is the latest of the long-term partnership between the Government of Japan and WFP, and we look forward to our continued cooperation.”

Currently, the WFP is in need of $14 million USD to meet the food needs of Syrian refugees in Iraq over the next six months.