RAMALLAH - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a contribution of JPY 200 million (US$1.5 million approximately) from the Government of Japan which will help WFP provide much-needed food assistance to the most vulnerable Palestinian families in Gaza and the West Bank.
WFP will use this donation to provide in-kind food rations to over 73,000 of the poorest and most food-insecure Palestinians for three months. Each family will receive fortified wheat flour, pulses, vegetable oil and iodized salt.
"Thanks to our longstanding partnership with Japan, we can help tens of thousands of
poor families facing acute hardships every year," said WFP Representative and Country Director Samer AbdelJaber. "With so many challenges at their greatest, particularly in Gaza, WFP food assistance is one thing vulnerable Palestinians can count on. We greatly appreciate Japan's support in making this assistance possible."
The increase in the prices of food and other essentials has severely depreciated Palestinian families' purchasing power pushing them to compromise their food consumption to make ends meet. Already before the Ukraine crisis, with movement and access restrictions, high poverty and unemployment rates, one-third of Palestine's families suffered from food insecurity and struggled to reach adequate and nutritious food.
"This contribution from the Government of Japan to WFP in Palestine comes amidst extremely challenging global humanitarian and socio-economic situation due to the recent escalation of violence in Gaza, the increase of food prices and the impact of COVID-19," said Mr. Hattori Takashi, Deputy Representative of Japan to Palestine.
"Through this support, we aim to meet the food needs of the most vulnerable and economically unsecured non-refugee populations in Palestine, including women, elderly, children, people with disabilities and those with chronic diseases. By working together, we aim to reach the goal of ending malnutrition and a shared vision of a world beyond hunger," he added.
WFP continues to work with national partners and NGOs globally and in Palestine to help achieve Zero Hunger for vulnerable people affected by conflicts. This is possible only thanks to the support and contributions from governments, private companies and individuals.
With contributions amounting to more than US$46 million to WFP over the past decade, Japan is among WFP's top donors to Palestine, as well as one of the largest donors to WFP globally.
