UNRWA's financial deficit reaches $200m

Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl at a press conference outside UNRWA’s office in Gaza on 23 May 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl (C) at a press conference outside UNRWA’s office in Gaza on 23 May 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl (C) at a press conference outside UNRWA’s office in Gaza on 23 May 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl at a press conference outside UNRWA’s office in Gaza on 23 May 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

UNRWA’s budget deficient now stands at $200 million, Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl revealed today.

“The current budget deficit of the Agency’s budget is about $200 million,” Krahenbuhl said during a press conference at the agency’s regional headquarters in Gaza City.

“We know that we will be subjected to many attacks and criticism, but we will continue to provide services to Palestinian refugees, as mandated by the United Nations, and we will never allow any attempt to destroy the legitimacy of refugees.”

READ: Financial crisis leaves UNRWA unable to provide job security

Israel publicly demands that UNRWA be terminated, and the current US administration has suspended its financial support for the agency, which has caused a major funding crisis.

Krahenbuhl stressed that UNRWA is making efforts to “recruit financial support to continue providing services,” pointing out that 42 countries and organisations helped UNRWA last year to overcome its financial crisis.

“We will make every effort to continue to provide food assistance, especially here in Gaza. As I said before, we need about $60 million to buy food.”

“We hope that we will keep schools open next year,” he continued.

READ: The health and dignity of Palestine refugees remain at risk, says UNRWA

UNRWA’s lifeline is decreasing due to the cuts made by the Trump administration – Cartoon [AlArabi21News/Twitter]