Published : 24-02-2019
The Government of Japan has contributed US$ 23 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The agreement was signed by the Japanese Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to Palestine, Takeshi Okubo, and UNRWA Commissioner-General, Pierre Krähenbühl.
Of this very crucial contribution, US$ 17.7 million will go towards the Agency’s core programs of education, health care and improved living conditions for 5.4 million Palestine refugees across all five fields of UNRWA operation. An additional US$ 4.5 million will be used to improve the quality of UNRWA health services in the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon and Syria and another US$ 800,000 will contribute to the education of Palestine refugee children affected by the conflict in Syria.
Ambassador Okubo said: “I’m also pleased to announce to you that the Government of Japan has decided to provide supplementary budget for a new assistance of about US$ 23 million to UNRWA. We are determined more than ever to send a message to Palestine refugees through the assistance that: A friend in need is a friend indeed. Japan will be there with you. At a time when UNRWA suffers from the financial crisis since last year, and especially Gaza is experiencing humanitarian crisis.”
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA program budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall.
The Government of Japan has contributed US$ 23 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The agreement was signed by the Japanese Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to Palestine, Takeshi Okubo, and UNRWA Commissioner-General, Pierre Krähenbühl.
Of this very crucial contribution, US$ 17.7 million will go towards the Agency’s core programs of education, health care and improved living conditions for 5.4 million Palestine refugees across all five fields of UNRWA operation. An additional US$ 4.5 million will be used to improve the quality of UNRWA health services in the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon and Syria and another US$ 800,000 will contribute to the education of Palestine refugee children affected by the conflict in Syria.
Ambassador Okubo said: “I’m also pleased to announce to you that the Government of Japan has decided to provide supplementary budget for a new assistance of about US$ 23 million to UNRWA. We are determined more than ever to send a message to Palestine refugees through the assistance that: A friend in need is a friend indeed. Japan will be there with you. At a time when UNRWA suffers from the financial crisis since last year, and especially Gaza is experiencing humanitarian crisis.”
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA program budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall.
