Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs reaffirms commitment on humanitarian assistance

Saturday, 21 October 2023 00:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Komura Masahiro attended the handover ceremony at the Presidential Office to provide the Emergency Food Assistance and Nutrition Support by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in the presence of Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga and WFP Sri Lanka Representative and Country Director Abdur Rahim Siddiqui.

Parliamentary Vice-Minister Komura handed over packs of food and nutrition including over 7,200 tons of rice, lentils, vegetable oil, maize and soya beans procured by WFP through the fund $ 6.5 million by the Japanese Government’s supplementary budget. With Japan’s total contribution of over $ 10 million since the commencement of WFP’s emergency operation in June 2022, to date, nearly 2 million beneficiaries, including school children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, who have been affected by the severe economic crisis, have benefited from this humanitarian assistance.

In his remarks, Parliame-ntary Vice-Minister Komura extended his sincere hope that this assistance will help as many Sri Lankan people in need as possible to make a better living.

Furthermore, he expressed his commitment to continue to provide the necessary support and cooperation for Sri Lanka’s development, further deepening our long-standing friendship with Sri Lanka.