The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq welcomes the humanitarian contribution from Japan [EN/AR/KU]

(Baghdad, 28 July 2015): The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ms. Lise Grande today welcomed a contribution of US$10 million from the Government of Japan for life-saving and stabilisation activities in Iraq. “We are so grateful for this contribution. Just yesterday, we announced that humanitarian organizations have been forced to close 184 frontline health facilities. Japan's generosity will help us to keep many programmes open for the next several months", Ms. Grande said.

More than 8 million people across the country – nearly a quarter of the population – are currently in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian partners expect that by the end of the year the number of people in need of assistance will reach nearly 10 million.

The Iraqi people have opened their homes, helping to protect and support families who have lost everything. The Iraqi Government has stepped forward, giving food, shelter, water, healthcare, education and cash to more than 3 million displaced people, but the current crisis has unfolded rapidly and with devastating impact.

Of the recent allocation by Japan, $9 million will support activities in the Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan and $1 million will go towards stabilisation efforts and facilitating the safe and voluntary return of displaced people to their home areas. Japan has generously allocated $151.3 million to support emergency activities for internally displaced people and Syrian refugees in Iraq since February 2014.

Humanitarian partners in Iraq are seeking $498 million to cover the costs of providing shelter, food, water and other life-saving services for the remainder of the year. To date, 15 per cent of this has been secured.

For further information, please contact: Cecilia Attefors, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Iraq, (attefors@un.org /+964 (0)751 1352880)