Pledging Statement
Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

UNICEF Executive Board, First regular session 2011
Item 11: Pledging event
9 February 2012

Mr. President,

The Government of Japan is pleased to impart its contributions to UNICEF for 2012 to the Member States of the Executive Board.

First of all, our Government submitted its budget proposal for Japanese Fiscal Year 2012 to the Diet of Japan, including a contribution to the UNICEF Regular Budget in the amount of 23.9 million US dollars. This amount will be available upon the approval of the Diet which normally takes place at the end of March.

Second, the Government of Japan has decided yesterday to contribute an amount totaling 117.3 million US dollars to UNICEF’s humanitarian activities from its supplementary budget for Japanese Fiscal Year 2011. This contribution includes 84.9 million US dollars for humanitarian assistance for African countries, 10.0 million US dollars for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan, 15.8 million US dollars for humanitarian assistance to Palestine and 6.6 million US dollars for emergency humanitarian assistance to Yemen. The assistance for Africa is scheduled to be distributed to 15 African countries where the population is suffering from severe problems in food supply and production.

Finally, the Government of Japan has decided to extend grant aid of 39.2 million US dollars in total through UNICEF. This grant aid includes emergency assistance in the amount of 3.5 million US dollars to Pakistan in response to the flood disaster.

The Government of Japan requests UNICEF to make every effort to ensure the most effective use of these contributions to its activities.

I thank you Mr. President.