RAMALLAH, October 9 (WAFA) - The Government of Japan and the World Food Program (WFP) signed on Monday a $3.2 million agreement to provide food security to thousands of underprivileged and marginalized people in the Gaza Strip.
The program, which will be implemented through the Ministry of Social Development, is expected to serve 52,000 people among the poorest and most marginalized in Gaza for the next six months, according to Social Development Minister Ibrahim al-Shaer.
He noted that the agreement is a continuation of Japan’s support for the program since 2005, bringing its total support to $48 million.
Shaer called on the WFP to solicit more funds for the poor and the marginalized in Jerusalem, Bedouin communities and families headed by women.
He stressed that the root solution to the problem of poverty and food insecurity is an end to the Israeli occupation, which imposes unjust restrictions and measures against the Palestinian people exacerbating the social and economic problems in Palestine.
He expressed hope that Palestine would overcome the problem of food insecurity in cooperation and partnership with friendly countries and organizations in line with the goals of the Sustainable Development Program 2030, in particular the second objective that aims to reduce poverty, achieve food security and sustainable development.
Ambassador of Japan to Palestine Takeshi Okubo stressed the strong friendship between the Japanese and Palestinian people and his sympathy with the Gaza Strip under the siege.
Daniela Owen, director of WFP in Palestine, said the fund will allow the program to continue to provide food to the poorest families, which are part of the social safety net programs implemented by the Ministry of Social Development in the Gaza Strip.
The World Food Program has been working in Palestine in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development since the early 1990s in addition to a number of partners to provide in-kind food assistance through e-vouchers and to assist some 500,000 non-refugee people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Jerusalem suburbs who suffer from food insecurity.
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