Japan to resume development aid to S. Sudan
December 14, 2014 (JUBA) – Japan will resume its development aid to South Sudan following suspension of its bilateral cooperation at the height of the conflict in the new nation, a diplomat disclosed.
Ambassador Takeshi Akamatsu said his government, after careful consideration, will renew development aid for infrastructural development and humanitarian assistance.
“It’s a great disappointment that Japan was obliged to suspend her cooperation activities due to confusion and insecurity arising from conflict last year,” said Takeshi.
Since the outbreak of the December violence last year, countries like Denmark, Japan cut aid to the country as others rechanneled their assistance to humanitarian agencies to help mitigate the crises.
“Three months of sustained war was more than enough to devastate this country. It’s not difficult for us to imagine the feelings of three million South Sudanese who fled their homes for much longer periods,” Takeshi said.
He also disclosed that on average Japan had extended over $43.6 million inform of humanitarian assistance to the young nation.
The ambassador was speaking at Emperor Akihito’s 81st birthday celebrations in Juba. Akihito is the 125th emperor of Japan.
“This is a manmade disaster and it’s only the strong will and commitment of the people that can bring war to an end,” said Takeshi.
“A country three years old that has spent one third of its history in self destruction, this does not make any sense at all,” he added.
Japan is also supporting the IGAD-led peace process in Ethiopia.
Currently, Japan is among other supporting the construction of five bridges in Juba, building of a new bridge along the river Nile and also engineering and construction work by its contingent at the United Nations mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
“Our engineering contingent under UNMISS has also provided temporary latrines and even construction of protection of civilians sites (POCs),” said Takeshi.
The ambassador said a new page was opened under the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), in which up to $32 billion has been availed to Africa for boosting investment.
The next round of TICAD is due in 2016 and will take place on African soil.
(ST)