The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees successful the Near East (UNRWA) will received an further $135.8 million after signing an agreement with the United States on Saturday establishing shared goals successful enactment of humanitarian assistance, development, and exile protection.
“The signing of the US-UNRWA Framework [for Cooperation] and further enactment demonstrates we erstwhile again person an ongoing spouse successful the United States that understands the request to supply captious assistance to immoderate of the region’s astir susceptible refugees,” stated the UN agency’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini.
Much-needed funding
In April, the US Government restored UNRWA’s support, providing an archetypal $150 cardinal to the UN bureau providing life-saving services to eligible registered Palestine refugees crossed the Middle East.
In May, the US also gave astir $33 cardinal successful humanitarian assistance to UNRWA successful effect to the unit successful the West Bank and Gaza.
The further backing volition proceed to enactment the halfway fund of UNRWA – the bulk of which finances the cognition of much than 700 schools educating implicit fractional a cardinal children and 140 superior wellness clinics providing 8.5 cardinal diligent consultations a year.
It volition besides enactment the emergency appeals for the dire humanitarian challenges successful Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza and the West Bank, including successful East Jerusalem.
The money volition beryllium utilized for food, exigency currency assistance, exigency health, intelligence wellness and psychosocial support, acquisition successful emergencies, protection, h2o and sanitation, and COVID-19 response.
Shortcomings abound
Due to a larger number of registered Palestine refugees, the grade of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty, UNRWA is confronted with an accrued request for services.
The agency is funded astir wholly by voluntary contributions and fiscal enactment has been outpaced by the maturation successful needs.
As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which supports the transportation of halfway indispensable services, is operating with a ample shortfall.
Moreover, UNRWA exigency programmes and cardinal projects, also operating with large deficits, are funded done abstracted backing portals.
Upholding rule of neutrality
Frameworks for practice are the accepted mechanics by which the US and planetary agencies found shared goals and priorities.
This latest agreement reaffirms some UNRWA and the US’s commitment to the UN’s humanitarian principles, including the rule of neutrality.
English (US) ·