Africa-Press – Liberia. In support of the Japanese counterpart’s value-funded projects in Liberia, the Government of Japan has committed itself to providing food assistance to Liberia with a focus on alleviating hunger in the country, noting that this donation came at the right time when the Ukraine-Russia war is causing the prices of food on the world market to skyrocket.
The Japanese Ambassador to Liberia, Mochizuki Hisanobu, said the Food Assistance Program had been a sustainable means of raising revenue through the Counterpart Value Fund to tackle the Government of Liberia’s pro-poor developmental initiatives and address cross-cutting challenges to the survival, livelihood, and dignity of the people.
Hisanobu made these remarks recently in Monrovia when he turned over US$2 million worth of KR Food Aid 2020 donated rice to the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said the Food Assistance Program is important from the viewpoint that it shares objectives that are consistent with promoting the concept of human security, adding that human security, which Japan has been advocating on the world stage, is a concept that pursues the right of individuals to live happily and in dignity, free from fear and want, through their protection and empowerment.
Hisanobu recalled that in 2008, the Liberia Government entered into a bilateral agreement with the Government of Japan to address food security challenges in Liberia, noting that since then, the Government of Japan has been providing rice to Liberia through the Kennedy Round (KR) Food Assistance Program to be sold at a minimum cost in an effort to alleviate hunger in Liberia.
Expressing gratitude to the government and people of Japan, Liberia’s Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., praised the Japanese government for turning over US$2 million worth of 30 kg of donated rice to the government of Liberia.
Kemayah said the 30 kg of KR rice that is to be sold on the market will go a long way in enhancing Japanese-funded projects in Liberia.
He said the donation came as a result of a bilateral negotiation between the governments of Liberia and Japan.
Kemayah assured the Japanese Ambassador that the rice would be sold and the proceeds used as a counterparty value fund to finance Japanese-sponsored projects in Liberia.
He said the government is delighted by the gesture from the government and the people of Japan, adding that as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsibility, his administration will continue to assist President George Manneh Weah in soliciting bilateral assistance to enhance the government’s pro-poor agenda.
“We are proud to say that Liberia has maintained the integrity of the monetization of the KR rice, and we will continue to do so to fully accelerate our national development agenda,” Kemayah noted.
Minister Kemayah said the Government of Liberia has undertaken numerous tangible development projects using the sale proceeds of these grant commodities, with the approval of the Government of Japan.
He disclosed that the Japanese Counterpart Value-Funded Projects range from the construction of roads, local housing units, market buildings, warehouses, and bridges, among others, for which the government of Liberia remains “very grateful” to the Government and People of Japan for their continued support towards Liberia’s economic recovery efforts.
Kemayah mentioned that these social economic infrastructures are geared toward job creation, income generation, and sustainable livelihoods beyond just food aid.
He said, in close consultation with the Japanese Counterpart Value Fund Secretariat, the government of Liberia has identified key future funding projects for the utilization of the sale proceeds from the Japanese KR Food Aids.
Kemayah added that it includes the construction of a modern wood workshop between Bong and Nimba Counties and the construction of a large market building in Foya District, Lofa County.
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