[16/07/2026 02:47]

RIYADH-SABA
Japan has signed a $1.9 million grant agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP) to strengthen food security in Yemen, with the funding expected to provide emergency food assistance to nearly 700,000 vulnerable people across the country.

The grant will fund the distribution of more than 700 metric tons of vegetable oil to families facing emergency levels of food insecurity, WFP Yemen Country Director Al Khadir Daloum said, noting that millions of Yemenis continue to struggle with rising prices, falling incomes, and dwindling humanitarian assistance.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh by Japanese Ambassador to Yemen Yoichi Nakashima and WFP Yemen Country Director Al Khadir Daloum, in the presence of Yemen's Chargé d'Affaires in Saudi Arabia Jamal Awadh.

Speaking on behalf of the Yemeni government, Yemen's Chargé d'Affaires in Saudi Arabia Jamal Awadh expressed appreciation for Japan's continued humanitarian support, saying the grant reflects the longstanding partnership between the two countries and Japan's commitment to supporting the Presidential Leadership Council, the Yemeni government, and the Yemeni people. He added that the contribution builds on Japan's sustained assistance through emergency humanitarian aid and long-term technical cooperation provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Japanese Ambassador to Yemen Yoichi Nakashima reaffirmed his country's commitment to helping Yemen address its humanitarian challenges, saying Japan will continue supporting efforts to deliver food assistance to the country's most vulnerable communities. He noted that years of conflict, economic decline, and climate-related pressures have significantly increased humanitarian needs, particularly in food security and nutrition.

---