The Government of Japan and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) signed an agreement in Gaza today, under which the Government of Japan will contribute 500 million yen (around US$4.6 million) for UNRWA’s food assistance programme benefiting needy Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The agreement was signed by Japan’s Ambassador to Jordan Mr. Koichi Obata and UNRWA's Commissioner-General Mr. Peter Hansen, at a ceremony held at UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza. Ambassador Obata is visiting the occupied Palestinian territories as chairperson of the Advisory Commission of UNRWA.

The Japanese Government's contribution to UNRWA's food assistance programme will be used to purchase wheat flour for distribution by the Agency to needy refugee families registered with UNRWA as Special Hardship Cases, as well as in the Agency's nutritional support programme benefiting nursing mothers and pregnant women.

Japan, a major donor of cash and food assistance to UNRWA, has also been a generous contributor to projects implemented by the Agency in the five fields of operations. The Japanese Government’s contributions to UNRWA’s regular budget, food aid and projects over the last 10 years amounted to more than $220 million.

UNRWA provides basic education, health, relief and social services for more than 4 million Palestine refugees registered with the Agency.