Amman, January 14 (Petra) — Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Hisashi Matsumoto visited, on Tuesday, Amman New Camp which is serviced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Matsumoto, accompanied by Japanese Ambassador to Jordan Hideki Asari, was received by UNRWA’s Director in Jordan, Olaf Becker. During the visit, Matsumoto was briefed on UNRWA’s activities in Jordan and the impact of the recent regional situation on Palestinian refugees in the Kingdom.

At the UNRWA Girls’ Preparatory School, whose projects are supported by Japan, Matsumoto heard from the school counsellor about the challenges the regional situation has placed on the mental health of female students.

Matsumoto toured the camp’s health centre, where he received an overview of the medical services offered, including maternal and child health programs developed with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Matsumoto commended the dedication of UNRWA staff in supporting Palestinian refugees, noting that the agency plays a “vital and indispensable” role in providing humanitarian aid, medical care, education and other forms of support.

Olaf Becker expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for its continued political and financial support, noting the “significant” impact of the support in improving education, protection and psychosocial services for over 100,000 Palestinian refugee students, particularly in these challenging times.

He praised Japan’s commitment to advancing self-reliance, dignity and development opportunities for Palestinian refugees.

As one of UNRWA’s longest-standing partners, Japan has allocated $3.32 million to fund the “Critical Humanitarian Assistance for Palestine Refugees in Jordan” project, which will focus on education, psychosocial services and protection from April 2024 to March 2025.

//Petra// AK
14/01/2025 19:48:37