Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: The governments of Ethiopia and Japan have signed and exchanged notes on the “Food Aid Program” amounting to 3.5 million U.S. dollars, the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance has announced.
An exchange of notes for the Food Assistance Program was signed between Ahmed Shide, Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, and Ito Takako, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ethiopia, the ministry said.
Through the grant aid, worth approximately 3.5 million USD, equivalent to 180 million Ethiopian birr, around 2,250 tons of Japanese rice will be provided to Ethiopia, in order to combat food insecurity brought on by various factors including the droughts, the conflict in the north, drought, and the extremely high number of IDPs in the country.
“As a lot of rice consumption in Ethiopia has relied on imports recently, this grant aid will help Ethiopia not only to combat food insecurity but also to reduce imports and contribute to saving foreign currency,” the ministry said.
According to the ministry, Japan has supported rice production in Ethiopia since 2015, as one of the main pillars of the agricultural sector. The Japanese government has been actively supporting the development of Ethiopia and contributing to the improvement of people’s lives through various schemes, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, agriculture, industry, education and health.
