The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a timely contribution of approximately $3.4 million (500 million Japanese Yen) from the Government of Japan. This essential funding will be utilized for lifesaving assistance targeting both Rohingya refugees and vulnerable members of the Bangladeshi host communities.
“Japan stands firmly in solidarity with Bangladesh and the international community to address the basic needs of the Rohingya people and to assist the most vulnerable members of the host communities, particularly women and children,” stated Ambassador Saida. “We are deeply concerned about the growing needs within the camps and the severe deficit in humanitarian assistance. Japan remains committed to working with WFP and all partners to prevent a further deterioration of the humanitarian crisis and to ensure a long-term solution where the Rohingya can return to Myanmar safely and with dignity.”
This new contribution from Japan will enable WFP to provide monthly food assistance and nutritional support to over 100,000 Rohingya refugees and 2,000 vulnerable Bangladeshi individuals. Families will receive e-vouchers, allowing them to purchase rice, pulses, and fresh vegetables from designated shops within the camps. Specialized nutrition support will be provided to young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, both inside and outside the camps, for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition.
Since early 2024, intensified fighting in Myanmar’s Rakhine State has led to an influx of nearly 150,000 new Rohingya arrivals in the camps, pushing the total population past 1.1 million. The increased demand, coupled with a severe shortfall in international financing, is jeopardizing the entire humanitarian response, critically threatening essential services such as food, cooking gas, nutrition, healthcare, education, and protection services.
WFP’s food assistance is at risk of severe disruption starting in December 2025 unless a minimum of $60 million is urgently secured for the next six months, and $167 million for the next 12 months.
“We are profoundly grateful for Japan’s unwavering partnership and the generosity of the Japanese people,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh. “The crisis is at a critical inflection point. We urge all partners to step forward before the humanitarian situation in the camps deteriorates further. At WFP, we will continue to do our part, ensuring every dollar is used with maximum efficiency, transparency, and value for money.”
WFP has already realized demonstrable savings, anticipating nearly $19 million in savings from ongoing and upcoming operations through programmatic enhancements, financial and logistical efficiencies, inter-agency cost-sharing, and other efficiency gains. Currently, 82 cents of every dollar go directly to support the Rohingya, up from 71 cents in mid-2023.
Since the onset of the emergency in August 2017, Japan has contributed over $240 million to the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh, including support for WFP, other UN agencies, and NGOs, with this new funding being the latest commitment.
