On March 12 (same day local time) Mr. Mitsuru Kitano, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, and Mr. Li Yong, Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), held a kick-off ceremony in Vienna in relation to the provision of a total of approximately 654 million yen for emergency humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in cooperation with UNIDO in the Government of Japan’s FY2018 supplementary budget. The ceremony was also attended by representatives from the countries receiving the assistance, who expressed gratitude and high hopes for Japan’s assistance.
The current assistance measures will be implemented in Ethiopia, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, South Sudan, Palestine and Syria, with the aim of improving the livelihoods and preventing violent extremism, targeted mainly refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities. These measures are expected to contribute to reinforcement of economic foundation and social stability through support for SMEs and vocational training for vulnerable members of society, particularly young people and women who are easily impacted by crisis. They are also expected to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the humanitarian-development nexus and human security, which are policies that Japan is promoting.