DHAKA: Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe pledged Saturday US$2.5 billion in non-military aid for the Middle East as he launched a regional tour that includes visits to Jordan and Israel.

In a speech in Cairo, Abe also pledged US$200 million in non-military assistance for states affected by the Islamic State (IS) bloody expansion in Iraq and Syria, which triggered an exodus of refugees to neighbouring countries.

‘Japan will newly carry out assistance of 2.5 billion US dollars in non-military fields including humanitarian assistance and infrastructure development, intended for the entire region,’ Abe said, according to an official transcript.

He said Japan would ‘provide assistance for refugees and displaced persons from Iraq and Syria’, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1550 HRS, JAN 17, 2015