Japan to give $5.5 million aid to improve living conditions in Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Japanese Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it will provide $5.5 million in aid to help rebuild essential infrastructure in slums and informal settlements in the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Homs.
According to the Japanese news agency Kyodo News, the assistance program was signed on Aug. 12 between Japan and the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) and will focus on restoring services in the two war-ravaged cities.
The ministry noted that Aleppo and Homs remain among the most severely affected areas in Syria, where the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen.
With the continuing “serious humanitarian situation” in Syria and more refugees returning to their homes, helping people secure a safe living environment has become a “pressing issue,” the ministry said.
In a separate statement, UN-Habitat stressed that the protracted conflict, compounded by the devastating earthquakes that struck Syria and Turkey in February 2023, has left informal settlements in Aleppo and Homs without access to basic services such as water, electricity, sanitation, and safe housing.
By Abdulsalam Khoja