Japanese Ambassador MATSUDA Kuninori also met with President Arif Alvi and discussed matters of mutual importance
The Government of Japan will contribute $3.7 million to support UNHCR’s programs and activities for Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan. The three-year project, which will benefit more than 240,000, focuses on education, livelihood assistance, and community structures in the provinces of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. An agreement was inked between the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan MATSUDA Kuninori and UNHCR Representative Noriko Yoshida. The Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Saleem Khan was also in attendance.
The Japanese Ambassador emphasized on the importance of education as well as social inclusions of the Afghan refugees. He also said that the financial support is important both the stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Acquiring education and vocational skills is vital for the social inclusion of Afghan refugees. In this project, we will continue to provide financial support, which will greatly contribute to the stability and peace of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Peace and stability are the preconditions for achieving voluntary repatriation and sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan,” said MATSUDA.
Yoshida thanked the people and Government of Japan for their support for the refugees and the host communities. “This funding will go a long way to empowering young refugees and Pakistanis through skills development and education,” she said.
Japanese Ambassador calls upon the President
The Japanese Ambassador also called upon the President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi. The two discussed the need to further enhance the trade and economic cooperation between the two sides. The president said that Japan can especially benefit from Pakistan in the fields agriculture, automobile, information and textile.
Alvi also emphasized the need to increase the frequency of bilateral exchanges at the highest level to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The Ambassador congratulated Alvi on the successful completion of the Pakistan Navy’s Multinational Maritime Exercise Aman-2021.