Japan donates Sh1.15 billion to support refugees in Tanzania

By Nice Mfinanga and Asha Rashid

Dar es Salaam. Japan yesterday availed a $500,000 (about Sh1.15 billion) to the World Food Programme (WFP) in support of refugees in Tanzania.

Japan ambassador to Tanzania Yasushi Misawa handed a dummy cheque to the WFP country director Sarah Gordon-Gibson during an event that was held at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan in Dar es Salaam.

Speaking during the event, Ms Gordon-Gibson said the money would benefit 204,000 refugees from Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hosted in camps in Kigoma Region in Tanzania.

“The contribution will be used to purchase 260 tonnes of beans for WFP’s food basket, which consists of cereal, a fortified wheat and soya blend with sugar known as super cereal, pulses, vegetables oil and salt,” she said.

A long-standing partner of the WFP, Japan has been providing humanitarian food assistance to developing countries since 1968.

“Even though we are facing various regional and global challenges affecting peace and stability in Africa, Tanzania has maintained its stability and promoted its economic growth for years while extending the support to refugees coming from neighbor countries” said Mr Yasushi.

He said the efforts have contributed to stable food supply in Tanzania which mitigates the negative impacts of the current food crisis in the country and neighbor countries.

According to Ms Gordon-Gibson, the contribution from Japan will go a long way in investing in Tanzania economy through the local procurement of beans which will ultimately and quickly reach vulnerable refugee households.