October 12, 2023
COLOMBO – The Japanese Embassy in Colombo yesterday (10) said that since June last year, two million Lankans had benefited from a WFP programme funded by Japan. The announcement was made after Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Komura Masahiro attended the handing over of emergency food assistance and nutrition support at the President’s Office.
Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga, Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs, and Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, Representative and Country Director of WFP Sri Lanka, were present on the occasion.
The Parliamentary Vice-Minister handed over packs of food and nutrition including over 7,200 MT of rice, lentils, vegetable oil, maize and soya beans procured by WFP through USD 6.5 million provided by the Japanese Government’s supplementary budget, the Embassy stated.
With Japan’s total contribution of over USD 10 million since the commencement of WFP’s emergency operation in June 2022, to date, nearly two 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.