Signature of the Exchange of Notes relating to Japanese Food Assistance to the Gambia for fiscal year 2021 (22th October 2021)

On Friday 22 October, 2021, His Excellency Mr. ARAI Tatsuo, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of The Gambia and Honorable Dr. Mamadou TANGARA, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia signed an Exchange of Notes relating to the Japanese Food Assistance to the Republic of The Gambia for the Japanese Fiscal year 2021. The Government of Japan allocated two hundred fifty million Japanese Yen (¥ 250.000.000), meaning about one hundred twenty-five millions Gambian Dalasis dedicated to the implementation of the Food Assistance under its grant aid scheme. The ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Gambians Abroad, in Banjul. The project consists in purchasing rice to help cover the local food demand. Access to quality and sufficient food for all is an important health, social and economic issue especially in the prevailing context of covid 19 pandemic. It is also one the main pillar of the “Africa Health and Wellbeing Initiative” and the “Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa (IFINA)ˮ presented during the TICAD 7, held in Yokohama in August 2019 as well as a goal of the National Development Plan 2018-2021 designed by the Gambian Government. Food Security is essential to improvement of public health and human security. This Grant represents the contribution of the Government of Japan to the efforts done by the Gambian Government in this regard. The counterpart Funds generated by the Food Assistance will take in charge the funding of more projects in other key sectors to amplify the momentum. This ceremony marks one more step in strengthening friendship and solidarity between Gambian and Japanese peoples.