Japan to provide additional $60 in humanitarian aid to Myanmar

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan on Tuesday announced that it will provide additional $60.3 million in humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

In response to the rapid increase in the need for humanitarian assistance due to the deteriorating situation since last year, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Tokyo will provide additional humanitarian assistance totaling $60.3 million to the Southeast Asian nation.

The aid will reach the affected people through international organizations, including UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, and ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).

“Japan will provide food, medical items and shelters as well as water and sanitation infrastructure, nutrition improvement, medical services, access to education, and measures to combat illegal drugs,” the ministry said.

Since the military coup of Feb. 1, 2021, Japan said various parts of Myanmar “are still experiencing violence.”

“As a result, the humanitarian situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate further,” it noted.

It said 17.6 million Burmese people, including internally displaced persons, “are in need of humanitarian assistance.”

Until now, the ministry said, Japan has provided more than $47 million in humanitarian assistance to Myanmar in past two years through international organizations and NGOs, “directly benefiting the people of Myanmar.”

Japan will continue to “actively provide humanitarian assistance, while urging the Myanmar side to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access,” the ministry said.