Japan pays additional $5m to WFP in Afghanistan.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Japan has contributed additional $5 million to United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan.

The UN food agency welcomed the contribution, which came amid food ration cuts pushing tens of thousands of families to the brink.

In March, WFP was forced to reduce lifesaving assistance for at least 4 million people due to a lack of funds. Nine million people could go without food aid in April if no new funding was received, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

Japan’s Ambassador Takashi Okada said: “The government of Japan has been a consistent and strong supporter of the Afghan people and of WFP over the past years.”

Japan viewed food assistance as one of the primary ways to reach sustainable development and human security,” remarked the ambassador.

Of the latest Japanese contribution, $4 million will be used to provide families with food assistance and US$1 million through in-kind food aid.

WFP Country Director Hsiao-Wei Lee, hailing the Japanese contribution,  called the UN food assistance the last lifeline for millions of Afghans .

“Catastrophic hunger knocks on Afghanistan’s doors and unless humanitarian support is sustained, hundreds of thousands more Afghans will need assistance to survive,” she said.

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