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On the decision by the Government of Sweden to stop funding UNRWA in 2025 [EN/AR]

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From Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General as posted on his official X account (previously known as Twitter)

The decision by the Government of Sweden to stop funding UNRWA in 2025 is disappointing and comes at the worst time for Palestine Refugees.

The decision is one day after the members of the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution in support of UNRWA. Sweden has been a reliable longstanding partner to UNRWA providing both political and financial support for decades.

This is a sad day for Palestine Refugees and the multilateral system which Sweden has spearheaded.

It comes at a time when UNRWA is under unprecedented politically- driven attacks, including through the use of disinformation. The attacks aim at stripping the Palestinians from their refugee status.

Defunding UNRWA now will undermine decades of Sweden’s investment in human development including by denying access to education for hundreds of thousands of girls and boys across the region.

For the people of Gaza, this decision will double their suffering endured over the past 14 months since the horrendous Hamas attack on 7 October and the ongoing war.

I hope the Government of Sweden will reconsider its decision and pursue its longstanding solidarity by investing in both a political solution and the human development of Palestine Refugees through UNRWA.

Background Information:

UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.

UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on.

UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.