Japanese Fuji Optical resumes humanitarian missions to Azerbaijan through UNHCR following three-year break due to pandemic restrictions

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is facilitating the 16th humanitarian mission of the Japanese Fuji Optical Co. Ltd. to provide eye care services to vulnerable population in Azerbaijan. With the support of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a team of six Japanese optometrist specialists will conduct eye tests for some 2,500 internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable people in the Fuzuli district from 9 to 13 May, as well as in Baku on 15 May. They will also provide free-of-charge eyeglasses to those who need them.

Fuji Optical Co. Ltd. is UNHCR's longest-serving corporate partner by providing specialized humanitarian aid since 1984 and to Azerbaijan since 2005. The company has donated more than 70,000 pairs of eyeglasses to Azerbaijan so far through the UNHCR and the cumulative value of the visual and hearing aids donated by Fuji Optical Co. Ltd. to Azerbaijan is more than 2.58 million US dollars.

Although Fuji Optical Co. Ltd had to suspend its annual humanitarian aid missions to Azerbaijan in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it continued to donate high-quality eyeglasses and hearing aids through UNHCR throughout the past three years. UNHCR organized their distribution to IDPs and other vulnerable people in conflict-affected areas of Azerbaijan, including Aghdam and Tartar, in cooperation with its partners. Dr. Akio Kanai, the Chairman and CEO of Fuji Optical Co. Ltd., received the 2006 Nansen Refugee Award, in recognition of his continuous and dedicated humanitarian efforts over the years. Upon receipt of the prize money, he donated it to UNHCR. This support was used to finance a water supply project for the Khojavand IDP community temporarily settled in Beylagan district in 2007.

Furthermore, Dr. Kanai received the prestigious "Yomiuri Shimbun International Cooperation" award from the Japanese newspaper "Yomiuri" in 2017 and once again, he donated the award amount of 5 million yen (equivalent to forty-four thousand US dollars) to the Social Development Fund of IDPs of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2018. The Fund used the money to purchase agricultural equipment for the use of IDPs who returned to Jojug Marjanli village of Jabrayil district. UNHCR is mandated to lead and coordinate international efforts in collaboration with local authorities to protect and find durable solutions for refugees and other forcibly displaced and stateless people worldwide. UNHCR has been operating in Azerbaijan since December 1992, when the country was faced with the challenge of a mass influx of displaced people.