Japan Pledges Fresh Aid, Targets Africa

Some USD500 million in fresh aid from the Japanese government will be disbursed, focusing mainly on Africa,

reported. According to Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone, the sum will help provide food to Burkina Faso, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Republic of Congo, Senegal and Togo. The assistance will also support social safety nets and agricultural productivity improvement, he added. Japan will also provide the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with USD200 million, according to the Japanese official.