Japan gives $120m to stabilise Sahel region
2013-01-29 07:47
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Tokyo - Japan said on Tuesday it would give $120m of new
cash to help stabilise the Islamist-infested Sahel region of North Africa, days
after 10 Japanese were killed when jihadists stormed an Algerian gas plant.
"The Japanese government plans to give an additional
$120m to help stabilise Mali and the Sahel region," Foreign Minister Fumio
Kishida said. "This is to help the region to strengthen governance and
security, including aid for peacekeeping operations."
Japan was hit hard by the four-day siege in the Algerian
desert, when heavily-armed militants took hundreds of people hostage.
The stand-off ended in bloodshed when Algerian commandos
stormed the plant, with some reports talking of summary executions of hostages
in the final fire fight.
Of the at least 37 foreigners known to have died, Japan's
toll of 10 was the highest of any country whose nationals were caught up in the
siege.
All of the Japanese who died were employed by plant
engineering firm JGC, which, along with a number of other similar firms from
resource-starved Japan, is active in North Africa.
"We expect this aid to help strengthen the AFISMA
mission and abate the poverty that could breed terrorism," Kishida said,
referring to the African-led International Support Mission to Mali, which has
UN Security Council backing.
- SAPA
