Provision of food assistance (Swaziland)

scale doubled from the previous year.

Considering the international community's efforts to tackle the food problem, Japan, as explained earlier, has provided food aid to developing countries faced with food shortages in short-term efforts. Japan has also made medium- and long-term efforts to improve food productivity of developing countries (see Part II, Chapter 2, Section 3, 1-(4)). In fiscal year 2003, Japan disbursed a total of 11,264 million yen in bilateral food aid for 20 countries, mainly in Africa, and multilateral aid for 23 economies through international organizations, including the WFP and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) for Palestinian refugees. Japan contributed 130 million dollars to the WFP in 2003, ranking fourth after the United States, the EC and Britain.

General food distribution is important for people whose survival is threatened in an emergency. In order to promote independent efforts of beneficiaries, however, project-type food aid is important. Japan has positively supported the WFP's school feeding and "Food-for-Work." In the world, approximately 100 million children fail to go to school. School feeding can promote children to go to school and deepen their understanding of education. By supplying children, especially girls, with take-home rations such programs can also assist their families and promote their families' understanding of education. "Food-for-Work" is designed to lead farmers in developing countries to develop farming infrastructure and receive food for their work. It is aimed at promoting residents' ownership.

## (5) Energy

Ensuring the stable energy supplies needed to realize economic development is an important issue for developing countries. And it is forecasted that with the economic development of mainly developing countries, particularly in Asia, the world demand for energy will increase in the future. The energy issue is a global issue that is related to measures to deal with global environmental issues and achievement of sustainable development.

Japan, in light of the importance of energy from the perspective of sustainable development and taking into account energy and environmental conservation, is providing cooperation for a stable supply of energy in developing countries. For Japan, which is extremely dependent on foreign energy and mineral resources, cooperation in this sector is also important in terms of ensuring a stable supply of resources. Japan is carrying out assistance for projects that are difficult to implement through the private sector or Other Official Flows (OOF) and through assistance that contributes to the promotion of energy conservation or the promotion of the use of renewable energy, etc.

In recent years, cooperation in this sector for projects designed to improve public welfare and reduce poverty such as regional electrification and the development of electricity transmission facilities have been increasing. Because they are relatively large-scale and have substantial economic benefits, they have been mostly implemented through Yen loans. In fiscal year 2003, Yen loans in the energy sector came to approximately 197.4 billion yen (35.4% of all Yen loans) for a total of 12 projects in five countries and grant aid came to approximately 4.6 billion yen (5.6% of general project grant aid).

Among Yen loan projects, Egypt's "Zafarana Wind Power Plant Project" and Indonesia's "Lahendong Geothermal Power Plant Project" are designed to secure stable electricity supply and reduce environmental load through utilization of wind or geothermal energy.

Grant aid covered repair or expansion of power stations in Cambodia, Laos, and Serbia and Montenegro, and electricity grid development and rural electrification in Nepal and Ghana. These projects are aimed at stable electricity supply to invigorate socio-economic activities.

As for technical cooperation, Japan has implemented technology transfers and human resources development for energy-related environmental measures in energy control, energy-saving and renewable energy areas. For example, Japan has implemented the Green Aid Plan (GAP) for seven Asian countries since 1992 to promote energy-related environmental conservation measures in Asia. Specifically, Japan has carried out discussions with their governments and cooperation projects regarding improvements including the transfer and diffusion of technologies and know-how based on Japanese experiences in environmental and energy areas.

In future cooperation with developing countries in the energy area, Japan plans to support not only stable electricity