Saudi issues $7.6m grant to support UNRWA in Jordan

Saudi Arabia announced yesterday that it will donate $7.6 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).

The funds are to support a series of activities in Jordan, such as improving equipment in schools and clinics used by Palestinian refugees. The $7.6 million comes as part of an overall package worth $35 million, according to a statement issued by the UN agency.

SFD Managing Director Yousef Al-Bassam said: “Jordan has been host to Palestine refugees since the Nakba, with over two million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA living in the country. By providing the agency with this $7.6 million pledge, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pays tribute to Jordan and its people, who continue to provide Palestine refugees with a safe and secure place where they can lead fulfilling lives for themselves and their children.”

This donation will be used for a comprehensive renovation of 10 UNRWA health centres that provide services for a total of 116,000 refugees from Palestine. The cash will also be used to provide new medical equipment for those health centres, according to the statement.

It will also cover services provided by UNRWA’s education sector to benefit 10,000 schoolchildren through the maintenance of school buildings, the construction of seven new classrooms and the provision of new textbooks and IT equipment.

In May, UNRWA signed agreements with SFD worth $111.5 million, which brings the total donations provided by the Saudi Fund for Development to the agency to $146.5 million in 2015 so far.

UNRWA had previously warned that the school year may be postponed because of its $101 million financial deficit.