Japan announces donation of $2.1m for Afghan refugees, Pakistani communities.

ISLAMABAD -- The Government of Japan has announced a contribution of US $2.1 million to support refugees and their host communities in Pakistan.

The new funding will strengthen UNHCR's interventions in the areas of education, healthcare and water and sanitation, benefiting 70,000 refugees and host communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Punjab and Sindh.

The Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Kuninori Matsuda and UNHCR's Representative in Pakistan, Ms Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, signed the agreement at a ceremony held here on Tuesday.

The project will be implemented under the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) programme, which is being supported by the international donor community in the spirit of burden and responsibility sharing and in recognition of Pakistan's hospitality towards Afghan refugees. Through RAHA, a wide array of projects are implemented across the sectors of education, health, livelihoods, infrastructure, water, sanitation and social protection.

Speaking on the occasion Ms Ruvendrini Menikdiwela commended the people and Government of Japan for the contribution, which will allow UNHCR to continue assisting vulnerable refugees to access better primary healthcare and improve the condition of schools.

She said the project would...