Humanitarian cooperation

Belarus-Japan cooperation in humanitarian affairs praised

MINSK, 28 February (BelTA) – Belarus-Japan cooperation in humanitarian affairs is effective, BelTA learned from Valery Skakun, Director of the Humanitarian Affairs Department of the Belarus President Property Management Directorate. The point of view was expressed during the ceremony held to sign a contract on allocating a grant for implementing a project as part of the Japanese government’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Program.

The document was signed at premises of the Humanitarian Affairs Department of the Belarus President Property Management Directorate. In line with the document Japan will buy physiotherapeutic devices worth $78,300 for Grodno Children Clinic No.1.

Valery Skakun reminded that the program has been implemented in Belarus since 2004. He thanked the Japanese side for attention paid to the resolution of problems arising from the consequences Belarus experiences due to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

In turn, Charge d'affaires of Japan to Belarus Asamura Takao noted that it was the second time the Humanitarian Affairs Department had hosted such a ceremony that year. In early February Japan provided a grant for buying medical equipment for hospitals in Gomel, Ivanovo, and Korma. Thanks to the grant contract signed on 28 February Grodno Children Clinic No.1 will be able to buy four devices for magnetic, electric, ultrasound, and laser therapy and their combinations.

The Japanese diplomat said he hoped that the project would contribute to even higher quality of rehabilitation and recreation of children. He stressed the importance of the grassroots program, which aims to support people suffering from the Chernobyl catastrophe. “The Japanese nation cannot remain indifferent about this tragedy because it has experienced nuclear catastrophes first-hand,” said Asamura Takao. According to the diplomat, it will be the 42nd project in Belarus.

Dmitry Koltsov, Deputy Head of the Asia, Australia, and Oceania Office of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thanked the Japanese embassy in Belarus for implementing the grassroots program. He spoke highly of comprehensive Belarusian-Japanese cooperation and said he was confident that bilateral contacts, including in humanitarian affairs, would grow stronger in the future.

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