support in a continuous manner for their sustainable economic growth. What is more, the management of valuable water resources is an important challenge shared by the countries of the Middle East region which could potentially impact regional stability. On the whole, Japan focuses on the following points with the aim of strategically narrowing the focus down to support sectors and targets in each country. As such, it proactively provides support for creating an environment for the economic and social stability of the Middle East region and for achieving Middle East peace.

(1) Peacebuilding support (Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine)

(2) Cooperation to support the Middle East peace process (assistance for Palestine, assistance for the surrounding Arab countries)

(3) Democratization support

(4) Support for economic and social infrastructure development and poverty countermeasures in low and middle income countries

(5) Support for measures to combat terrorism and for security

(6) Support for water resource management

(7) Support for human resource development that is consistent with the needs of each country and region

Japan has proactively worked to provide support for Iraq, such as through ODA of up to US$5 billion and approximately US$6.7 billion worth of debt relief. For Afghanistan, Japan announced its new strategy for dealing with the threat of terrorism in November 2009. Japan announced that it would provide support on a scale of up to a maximum of about US$5 billion for roughly five years starting from 2009 in accordance with the future situation in Afghanistan. Through this, the total value of the announced contributions came to US$6.5 billion.

>> For Japan's support for Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine, see Section III, Chapter 2, Section 2, 4. Peacebuilding.

## ● Iraq: Project for Construction of Diesel Power Station in Samawah

As of the beginning of 2004 there were no power stations within the Al-Muthanna Governorate in southern Iraq, and the governorate was dependent on transmissions of electricity from other governates for its supply of electricity. Compared to the demand for electricity within the governate of roughly 200MW, the supply was only around 40 to 50MW. Because of this, chronic power outages lasting for long periods of time occurred in the governate, which posed a major hindrance to civic life. Therefore, Japan responded to a request from the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity to provide grant aid totaling approximately ¥12.7 billion. A 60MW (four 15MW plants) diesel power station that uses the heavy oil refined at a nearby oil refinery as its fuel, was constructed in the city of Samawah. This power station began supplying power in January 2009, which more than doubled the electricity that had previously been supplied within the governorate, augmenting this to half of the electricity supplied within the governorate as a whole. As such, the project has contributed to assistance for the reconstruction of Samawah.

The diesel power station that was constructed

Electricity Supply and Demand Status in the Governate of Al-Muthanna

| OMW | 50MW | 100MW | Deficit
Previous supply | 0 | 50 | 100 | 200
Increase in supply from this project | 0 | 50 | 100 | 200