Ladies and Gentlemen,

I take this opportunity to thank you for availing yourselves here to witness today’s signing and exchange of notes ceremony formalising Japan’s commitment to Nauru through its Non Project Grant Aid.

At the outset, I wish to take your attention to the fact that Japan, through its NPGA donated 100 million yen yearly for fiscal years 2005, 2006, 2007 and 200 million yen for 2008 to supplement Government of the Republic of Nauru’s ability to purchase fuel whilst availing financial resources in Nauru’s national budget to continue implementing major economic reform programmes.

This year, Government of Japan has pledged more than 1.2 million Australian dollars to ease budgetary pressure on Nauru to import fuel and allow for implementation of economic reform programmes in sectors such as education, health and capital works for poverty alleviation and sustainable economic development.

In addition to NPGA, Japan, through its GGP Program, has also decided to assist Nauru with procurement and installation of solar pumps to new wells recently drilled in the Western Communities, with provision of a 5000 litres water tank, taps and a recycled 10,000 litres water delivery truck to further supplement the two trucks funded by Japan in 2008 making Japan’s past donation to communal water supply in the entire district more meaningful.

I wish to take this opportunity to express my Government’s hope that the Government of the Republic of Nauru will ensure the deposit of the counterpart fund for the previous years as well as for this NPGA so that such fund will be used for further development purposes of Nauru.

Honourable Ministers, these projects are a manifestation of Japan’s goodwill and, I look forward to successful completion of these projects.

Thank you.