Generous support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making a meaningful difference to Palestine refugees in Syria as they celebrate the holy month of Ramadan this year.
In 2014, the UAE donated US$ 15 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) food assistance programme in Syria. While this contribution from the UAE provided urgently needed support for Palestine refugees, the UNRWA General Fund deficit still stands at US$ 101 million.
Funding from the UAE contributed to the final round of food assistance in 2014 and several rounds of food assistance in 2015. The UAE support helped UNRWA distribute 146,282 family food parcels in Syria.
“Food assistance makes a critical difference in the lives of Palestine refugees whose resources have been devastated by four years of brutal conflict,” said Michael Kingsley-Nyinah, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Syria. “UNRWA is grateful to the UAE for their reliable and continuous support. This has particular meaning during Ramadan, as families gather together to break their fast and which is based on the concept of giving.”
Items in the UNRWA food parcel, including rice, lentils, canned meat and halawa, can help provide beneficiaries with the basis for a nourishing iftar meal. Each parcel provides recipients with 700 kcal per person per day over a period of a month. Combined with cash assistance, UNRWA seeks to ensure that family members meet their minimum daily nutritional needs.
UNRWA is grateful for the ongoing support from the UAE and their generous contributions. In 2014, the UAE was the third largest donor to the Syria Emergency Appeal and contributed to over 53 per cent of all food assistance funding received for 2014.