Romania donates $180,000 to UNRWA during visit to Jordan

The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs announced a new contribution towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in support of its core programmes and services including education, healthcare and relief, and social services.

Following a visit to the UNRWA office in Jordan last week, the delegation from Romania discussed the socio-economic situation of Palestinian refugees and the other fields of UNRWA operations, including the importance of strengthening the agency’s humanitarian and development services.

In the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu said: “Romania appreciates the important work of UNRWA in providing assistance and basic services to Palestine refugees in the region. In recognition of this and the Agency’s call for sustained financial and political support, I am pleased to announce a new contribution of €150,000 ($178,462) to UNRWA to support the delivery of core services.”

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Hundreds of thousands of refugees from conflict areas in the Middle East such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza, and Libya have settled in Jordan over the years, making them a significant demographic within the country.

Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan, Marta Lorenzo, said: “We are very grateful for the opportunity to engage with Romania on the situation of Palestine refugees in Jordan, including those who have been displaced from Syria. This community deserves the continued support of our international partners, especially as the impact of COVID-19 dramatically reverses their development opportunities.”

According to the Wafa news site, Romania has been a financial contributor to UNRWA since 2007.

UNRWA was created in 1949 to provide assistance and protection for the Palestinian refugees who were forced out of their homes prior to the creation of the state of Israel.

The organisation currently offers its services to about 5.3 million Palestinians refugees in the occupied territories, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.