Diwaniyah, and Samawah (approximately 51 million dollars); the "Provision of mobile substations throughout Iraq," in which 27 mobile substations were provided throughout Iraq (approximately 72 million dollars); and the "Improvement of Water Supply," in which 30 compact units, which are prefab water purification facilities, were provided (approximately 55 million dollars).

Moreover, through Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects, Japan provided Judo equipment to the Iraqi Judo Federation, sporting equipment to the Iraq Olympic Committee, and football equipment to the Department of Youth and Sports in Al-Muthanna. Furthermore, Japan subsidized the traveling expenses of the Iraqi national football team through Japan Foundation. The football team came to Japan for the international friendly football match between the Japanese and Iraqi national football teams.

## (b) Assistance Provided Through International Organizations and NGOs

Japan has been providing Iraq with humanitarian and reconstruction assistance through international organizations and NGOs. The major assistance projects in fiscal year 2003 are as follows:

In response to the United Nations' Flash Appeal for the Humanitarian Requirements of the Iraq Crisis issued in April 2003, Japan decided and provided emergency humanitarian aid worth approximately 29.5 million dollars.

The support provided through UNDP includes the provision of emergency grant assistance of 2.5 million dollars in April 2003 to dredge mud from the Umm Qasr Port. The port is the gateway through which humanitarian aid materials are transported into Iraq. Japan also provided assistance totaling approximately 6 million dollars in May 2003 for the "Iraqi Reconstruction and Employment Programme," in which local residents were employed to carry out such projects in Baghdad as removal of rubble, collection of garbage, and repair of buildings and water supply/sewerage systems. This project was designed to create employment and rebuild basic infrastructure. Having been pleased to see this project provide new jobs to approximately 172,000 people in total over a period until the beginning of April in Baghdad, Japan decided to implement the same project in March 2004 in the northern part of Iraq and four southern provinces including Al-Muthanna, in which Samawah is located.

Primary schools and junior high schools in Baghdad and Basra lost some school equipment due to looting and suffered damage to their facilities. To support these schools, Japan provided UNICEF with assistance of approximately 10.28

Assistance through IREP (Iraq Reconstruction and Employment Programme)

million dollars in May 2003 for the "Reactivation of Primary Education in Iraq" project. This project aims to repair school facilities, provide learning equipment, and train teachers, benefiting approximately one million students. In January 2004, Japan also provided assistance of approximately 8.8 million dollars to the UN-HABITAT (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) in order to rebuild primary schools and junior high schools and reconstruct houses and public facilities for the socially disadvantaged. In order to conduct a survey on the needs for secondary and higher education and also to assist the Ministry of Education of Iraq to train staff members, Japan allocated 1 million dollars from the Trust Fund for the Capacity-building of Human Resources of UNESCO. Regarding cultural projects, Japan provided assistance of approximately 1 million dollars for the reconstruction of the conservation laboratory of the National Museum of Iraq, which possesses valuable ancient cultural assets.

Furthermore, Japan provided assistance totaling approximately 24 million dollars via NGOs operating under Japan Platform for such relief activities conducted in Baghdad and the northern part of Iraq as emergency repair of educational and medical facilities and distribution of everyday commodities. In addition, Japan provided infant incubators and other medical equipment to the Samawah Maternity and Children's Hospital via Japanese NGOs. This assistance was provided in close collaboration with Self-Defense Forces, which transported the medical equipment and gave local people instructions on how to use the equipment. This is expected to improve the terrible medical situation in Samawah, where the neonatal mortality rate is above 10%.

## (c) Promotion of International Cooperation

In order to promote international cooperation through assistance to Iraq, Japan provided 500 million dollars in total as a fund for reconstruction of Iraq in addition to direct