Published : 14-04-2019
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Swedish counterpart Margot Wallström on Friday hosted a ministerial strategic dialogue in Stockholm to discuss sustainable ways to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
In remarks during the meeting, Safadi stressed that UNRWA must continue to operate in fulfillment of its UN mandate until a durable and just solution to the refugee issue is found in accordance with relevant UN resolutions, including resolution 194, and within the context of a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution.
Friday’s meeting was aimed at agreeing an action plan to mobilize the international community’s efforts to bridge UNRWA’s 2019 funding gap, which stands at $200 million, in addition to finding long-term financial plans for the agency and building on its initiative to enhance efficiency.
UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krähenbühl reviewed during the talks, in which representatives from Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, the UK, the European External Action Service and the European Commission took part, the agency’s continued programs to assist over 5 million Palestinian refugees despite the financial challenges facing the UNRWA, a joint communiqué issued following the talks said.
Participants stressed during the talks that UNRWA’s programs are a critical component for regional development, stability and security in the interest of all.
They emphasized the importance of these programs in offering protection and vital development support to over 5.4 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and Gaza.
The session renewed the call for an international commitment for 2019, which will show once again that political and financial support is key to regional and international stability.
Concrete measures that could be taken to raise international awareness about UNRWA’s vital role and operations, including in regional groups and high-level international meetings, were also discussed.
The diplomats agreed to invite all donors to actively support UNRWA, notably through multi-year financial commitment and core financing, to help the agency bridge the 2019 funding gap and ensure sustainable financial support in 2020 and beyond.
The US, which was by far the biggest contributor to UNRWA, announced last year that it would no longer fund the agency, causing a funding crisis for the agency and risking its operations that cover Palestinian refugees mainly residing in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Swedish counterpart Margot Wallström on Friday hosted a ministerial strategic dialogue in Stockholm to discuss sustainable ways to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
In remarks during the meeting, Safadi stressed that UNRWA must continue to operate in fulfillment of its UN mandate until a durable and just solution to the refugee issue is found in accordance with relevant UN resolutions, including resolution 194, and within the context of a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution.
Friday’s meeting was aimed at agreeing an action plan to mobilize the international community’s efforts to bridge UNRWA’s 2019 funding gap, which stands at $200 million, in addition to finding long-term financial plans for the agency and building on its initiative to enhance efficiency.
UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krähenbühl reviewed during the talks, in which representatives from Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, the UK, the European External Action Service and the European Commission took part, the agency’s continued programs to assist over 5 million Palestinian refugees despite the financial challenges facing the UNRWA, a joint communiqué issued following the talks said.
Participants stressed during the talks that UNRWA’s programs are a critical component for regional development, stability and security in the interest of all.
They emphasized the importance of these programs in offering protection and vital development support to over 5.4 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and Gaza.
The session renewed the call for an international commitment for 2019, which will show once again that political and financial support is key to regional and international stability.
Concrete measures that could be taken to raise international awareness about UNRWA’s vital role and operations, including in regional groups and high-level international meetings, were also discussed.
The diplomats agreed to invite all donors to actively support UNRWA, notably through multi-year financial commitment and core financing, to help the agency bridge the 2019 funding gap and ensure sustainable financial support in 2020 and beyond.
The US, which was by far the biggest contributor to UNRWA, announced last year that it would no longer fund the agency, causing a funding crisis for the agency and risking its operations that cover Palestinian refugees mainly residing in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
