The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is very pleased to announce that it received a contribution of US$ 5 million from the State of Kuwait in support of Palestine refugees and UNRWA operations in Syria. Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Mr. Al-Otaibi, handed over a cheque to the UNRWA Representative in New York, Peter Mulrean, following a pledge made by Kuwaiti’s representative, Mr. Khaled Al Zaadi, at the recent Advisory Commission meeting held last November in Jordan.
Acknowledging this generous donation, UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl stated: “I am very grateful to the State of Kuwait for this important and renewed contribution towards Palestine refugees in Syria. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the government and people of Kuwait for this valuable support. The generous contribution will help UNRWA provide crucial health care, education, protection, relief and social services for Palestine refugees who have endured conflict, displacement and suffering for far too long.”
Kuwait has been a longstanding and reliable donor to UNRWA, contributing a total of US$ 50 million over the last four years in support of the Agency’s efforts to assist Palestine refugees in Syria. This contribution shows the solid support of the State of Kuwait to the Palestinian cause and Palestine refugees, particularly those exposed to very dire circumstances in Syria.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s Programme Budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.