The government of Japan Tuesday announced that it has disbursed $ 16.21 million in total to UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN-Habitat (the UN Human Settlements Programme), UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and World Food Programme (WFP) to support their efforts benefitting people who had fled their homes due to security operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Afghan refugees living in Pakistan.
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Japan to Pakistan Takeshi Katae and UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Dr Jacqueline Badcock made the announcement at the WFP Islamabad office with UNDP Country Director Marc-Andre Franche, UN-Habitat Programme Manager Bella Evidente, UNHCR Deputy Representative Johann Siffointe, UNOCHA Head of Office George Khoury, WFP Country Representative Lola Castro. Capt (r) Tariq Hayat Khan, Joint Secretary of SAFRON also attended.
More than 91,000 families were displaced from North Waziristan in 2014 following military operations against armed militants, and they remain in need of humanitarian assistance and livelihood support. Since 2008, almost 5 million people from KP and FATA have been registered as displaced as a result of a series of security operations against militants. At the end of 2014, 1.6 million people remained displaced in KP and FATA. Humanitarian partners, including UN agencies and NGOs, support the Government to provide life-saving assistance for the displaced population and to support the voluntary return of the displaced people.
Mr. Katae stressed that the Government of Japan attaches high importance to supporting the stability of the region near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan since it is critical to the stability of entire Pakistan and the neighbouring countries.
