EUR160,000 for water

The Japanese government will donate approximately EUR160,000 (over US$180,000) to support two water supply projects in Maputo and Gaza provinces in southern Mozambique, the Japanese ambassador in Maputo has said."Our objective is to help non-profit organizations implement projects that benefit communities across the country," said Akira Mizutani, speaking at the signing of the agreement in Maputo.The beneficiary institutions – the Casa do Gaiato in Boane, Maputo province, and the Federação Luterana Mundial in Gaza – will rehabilitate and sink wells at a time when the south of the country is facing severe drought.The Federação Luterana Mundial project, for example, covers two of the districts most affected by drought in Gaza, with about 15 thousand families suffering food insecurity and being assisted."Access to safe drinking water and sanitation are priority tasks for Japan," the Japanese ambassador said, highlighting human development, the revitalization of local and regional economies, and management of natural disasters risk as other key areas.Japan has funded 90 community projects in Mozambique since 2000, worth US$11 million (EUR9 million) in total.