Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Francophonie, and the Congolese Diaspora; Japanese Ambassador to the DRC, Ogawa Hidetoshi; and representatives of the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS), among others, signed the agreement.

During the ceremony Kayikwamba Wagner praised the consistency and depth of cooperation between the two countries, and said this food assistance not only responds to a humanitarian emergency but also contributes to social and economic reconstruction, Actualite.CD reported.

“It is a concrete gesture of fraternity and mutual trust,” the foreign minister added, and recalled the recent bilateral talks held in Japan aimed at strengthening cooperation in key areas such as agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health.

Ogawa Hidetoshi, in turn, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting the DRC in its efforts to ensure food security, promote sustainable development, and build a resilient society.

It is estimated that around a quarter of the Congolese population lives in a situation of food insecurity, a crisis exacerbated by persistent conflict and escalating violence, which are causing mass displacement and disrupting agriculture, thus driving up food prices.

jdt/iff/otf/kmg