UNRWA meets to urge support ahead of donor conference

The Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) met in Jordan yesterday to discuss support for the organisation.

In a statement, a copy of which was sent to MEMO, the commission said it is discussing the needs of millions of Palestine refugees who face hardship and denial of rights in the Gaza Strip and West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

“The discussions that we have with our Advisory Commission are always a source of support and of inspiration,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl.

He added: “We are grateful to the member states of the United Nations and in particular the members of this Commission – both countries hosting Palestine refugees and donors – for their extraordinary trust in and support to UNRWA since it began its operations in 1950.”

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“With the upcoming pledging conference for UNRWA in New York set for 25 June, the Commissioner-General reiterated his urgent call for all partners to extend the same level of support they gave the Agency in 2018.”

Krahenbuhl “insisted on the need to respect the hope and dignity of Palestine refugees, and ‘to stay on a successful collective path for the sake of the Palestine refugee community.’”

Referring to the donations made in 2018, he said: “Never was the support of hosts and donors more remarkable than in 2018, when the Agency was confronted with its most severe institutional and funding crisis ever.”

He continued: “Forty-two different countries and institutions – from all corners of the world – increased their contributions to UNRWA last year, allowing UNRWA to successfully overcome an unprecedented deficit of US$446 million. We need them to give UNRWA the same support this year.”

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