ISLAMABAD: The Japanese government announced on Tuesday a grant assistance of $10.6 million for Pakistan to fight malnutrition, improve livelihood and increase resilience to natural disasters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan.

The latest assistance is part of a partnership that the Japanese government signed with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in Islamabad.

Out of the total $10.6m, $3.5m will be used for early identification and treatment of 155,000 acutely malnourished mothers and children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including families who have been displaced from Afghanistan and vulnerable host populations.

“WFP is extremely grateful for the continued partnership and generosity of the Japanese government in providing emergency life-saving nutritional support for malnourished mothers and children. We are proud to be working together to support some of Pakistan’s most vulnerable families,” said WFP representative Finbarr Curran.

Assistance will also help improve livelihood and increase resilience to natural disasters in KP, Sindh and Balochistan

The Japanese contribution also includes $3.55m towards the UNDP’s ‘Stabilisation through Inclusive Livelihoods’ initiative in the tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is being implemented in close collaboration with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the erstwhile Fata secretariat.

It will support 20,700 people by improving their access to basic services, enhancing their economic opportunities and improving social cohesion in Kurram and Orakzai tribal districts.

In addition, the Japanese government will support the government at national and local levels to prepare for natural disasters, pilot tsunami early warning systems, and enhance resilience of coastal communities to coastal hazards with a specific focus on women and children. Implemented in Malir and Karachi West districts of Sindh and Gwadar district, the project will benefit 15,000 people.

The project is being implemented by UNDP in partnership with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), provincial DMAs of Sindh and Balochistan, Pakistan Meteorological Department, district administrations of Karachi and Gwadar, and other technical and community-based organisations working in the coastal areas.

“Empowering vulnerable local communities and enhancing their resilience to withstand crises requires coordinated efforts by all stakeholders,” said the acting UNDP resident representative, Ignacio Artaza.

“Through these funding for Afghan refugees and their hosting communities, and the people in the newly merged districts of KP, we would like to show our message to the people that Japan continues its support for the stabilisation of their life.

“By sharing experiences of natural disasters in Japan, we secure our cooperation to share efficient monitoring and warning systems for earthquake and tsunami through UNDP’s policy and instructive support,” Japanese Ambassador-designate Kuninori Matsuda said.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2019