Published : 30-07-2019
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced a US$ 50 million contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to support the vital and life-saving services provided by the Agency to over five million Palestine refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza and the West Bank.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl commended the outstanding show of support from the UAE and said: “At a time of intense pressure on our Agency, the immense generosity of the United Arab Emirates sends a clear message that Palestine refugees are not alone. In addition to a crucial financial contribution, it is also a show of solidarity by the UAE for which I am deeply grateful.”
This financial support will go a long way in helping UNRWA maintain its programs for 2019 as planned, namely in the areas of primary healthcare, education and social services, all vital for the life and dignity of Palestine refugees, and an anchor for their feeling of stability.
In 2018, the UAE’s contribution of US$ 50 million to the Agency made the UAE the sixth largest donor for that year.
UNRWA is mandated to provide life-saving services to some 5.4 million Palestinian refugees registered with the Agency across its five fields of operation in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Its services include education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
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 United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced a US$ 50 million contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to support the vital and life-saving services provided by the Agency to over five million Palestine refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza and the West Bank.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl commended the outstanding show of support from the UAE and said: “At a time of intense pressure on our Agency, the immense generosity of the United Arab Emirates sends a clear message that Palestine refugees are not alone. In addition to a crucial financial contribution, it is also a show of solidarity by the UAE for which I am deeply grateful.”
This financial support will go a long way in helping UNRWA maintain its programs for 2019 as planned, namely in the areas of primary healthcare, education and social services, all vital for the life and dignity of Palestine refugees, and an anchor for their feeling of stability.
In 2018, the UAE’s contribution of US$ 50 million to the Agency made the UAE the sixth largest donor for that year.
UNRWA is mandated to provide life-saving services to some 5.4 million Palestinian refugees registered with the Agency across its five fields of operation in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Its services include education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
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.
