UNRWA host countries discuss its challenges

Representatives of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and the Arab League met yesterday to discuss the challenges facing the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Quds Press reported.

The meeting was organised by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry’s Department of Refugee Affairs and held in Amman.

According to Quds Press, the representatives discussed the challenges facing UNRWA and agreed on a unified stance ahead of attending the meetings of UNRWA’s subcommittee slated to take place in Amman today and tomorrow.

Head of Palestinian Refugee Department, Rafiq Kharfan, said: “The UNRWA has been facing dangerous and unprecedented financial and political challenges.”

“At the same time,” he said, “the UNRWA ignores the demographic growth of the refugees, as well as the increase of their needs and budget, mainly in the light of the economic, health and social repercussions of COVID-19.”

Kharfan also stressed on the importance of continuous mobilisation of international political support for renewing UNRWA’s mandate at the end of this year and translating it into financial support.

The representatives discussed ways of supporting UNRWA and its strategy for the next five years.

READ: UNRWA’s existence points to the UN’s failure to implement the Palestinian right of return