Japan to provide aid for Darfur refugees in neighbouring countries

26 June, 2007 (TOKYO) — The Japanese government decided Tuesday to provide about 4m dollars in emergency grant aid to help improve the situation of displaced people in areas neighbouring Sudan’s strife-torn Darfur region.

The humanitarian assistance, Japan’s largest grant aid in connection with the Darfur crisis, will be offered to help refugees in the eastern part of Chad and the northeast of the Central African Republic, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.

The aid, in the form of items such as blankets, water supply facilities and public lavatories, will be disbursed through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Children’s Fund and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Japanese News agency kyodo reported.

The aid announcement came a day after an international conference in Paris agreed to redouble efforts to end the bloodshed.

The Darfur conflict has left over 200,000 dead and more than 2 million people displaced from their homes.

(ST)