Sri Lanka on Monday received the first tranche of food assistance valued at USD 1.5 million from the government of Japan, which was provided through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
The donation was a part of food assistance pledged by the Japanese government earlier this year to Sri Lanka, where more than 6 million people—nearly 30 percent of the population—are facing a worsening food crisis. “The first tranche of food aid pledged by the Japanese government earlier this year, totaling USD1.5 million, was delivered today to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Food Security through the United Nations World Food Program,” tweeted WFP Sri Lanka.
At a ceremony held at the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Food Security, Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki handed over the donation to Nalin Fernando, Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security, in the presence of Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, WFP Representative, and Country Director, during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security. This first tranche forms part of the donation consisting of rice, lentils, and oil, which will be distributed by WFP to approximately 15,000 people in both urban and rural areas and 380,000 school children, an official statement from the WFP said.
Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, Mizukoshi Hideaki said, “It is our great honour that we are able to handover the first tranche of essential food supplies today with the rapid procurement of WFP, which will be delivered to vulnerable families and children across the island who are facing extreme hardship, amidst prevailing food shortages and soaring food prices during this unprecedented economic crisis.” “We sincerely hope that this humanitarian assistance will provide relief to all the people in need and help them meet their daily nutritional requirements,” he added.
WFP Representative, Siddiqui thanked Japan government for its contribution in the hour of need and said that it was one of the first to pledge support to WFP’s appeal.