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  Ambassador's Speech>2011 >110825    
     
 
Remarks by H.E. Hiroyuki Kishino, Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia
 
   
    at the Pledging Conference on the Drought and Famine in the Horn of Africa
Hosted by the African Union in Addis Ababa on 25 August, 2011		    
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Japan shares the same concern with the African Union, African countries and the international community over the plight of more than 12 million people in the Horn of Africa who are suffering from food shortages and malnutrition due to the worst drought to have hit East Africa in the past six decades.  The situation has been exacerbated in the southern part of Somalia due to the continued armed conflict there, where children and women in particular are victimized.

Facing this crisis, it is laudable that the African Union is taking the lead by organizing this pledging conference in a timely manner.  I would like to pay tribute to the African Union and African countries for immediately actively engaging in various support activities to alleviate the plight of fellow Africans.

To help cope with this humanitarian crisis, the Japanese Government already extended 90 million USD since the beginning of this year. 

However, in order to respond to the solidarity shown by African countries when the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan last March, as well as to avoid a massive catastrophe in human lives, the Japanese Government has taken the following additional measures during the past one month. 

The first is the disbursement of food assistance through WFP to the affected people, worth five million USD. 
The second is support for humanitarian activities of NGOs in the Horn of Africa, worth one million USD. 
And the third is emergency assistance in kind for Somali refugees in Kenya, worth 600,000 USD. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to assure you that Japan will continue to carefully monitor the situation, and exert its utmost effort for necessary assistance to be extended to the drought and famine victims in the Horn of Africa in good time.

Thank you for your attention.