Japan to provide over $7m to Afghanistan in aid

KABUL (Pajhwok): Japan will provide 7.26 million dollars to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) over the next three years to improve basic services and livelihoods for vulnerable people in Afghanistan.

An agreement in this regard was signed between Japanese ambassador in Afghanistan and regional representative of the UN-Habitat for Asia.

Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan Takayoshi Kromia explained more than 100,000 people in Kabul and western Herat provinces would benefit from the aid by repairing natural disasters hit basic public infrastructure in underdeveloped urban areas.

He emphasized this aid will also reach victims of the Herat earthquake a year ago.

Kazuko Ishigaki, UN-Habitat’s regional representative for Asia and the Pacific, said efforts to support vulnerable people in Afghanistan would continue.

According to him, currently Afghanistan is facing an “economic crisis”.

About three months ago, Japan announced $10 million in alternative livelihood assistance to Afghan farmers.

hz/ma