UN CHIEF SEEKS URGENT FUNDING FOR UNRWA

New York, 20 Shawwal 1436/5 August 2015 (MINA) – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called on donor countries to urgently ensure US$100 million for the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

In a letter transmitting the UNRWA Commissioner-General’s Special Report to the General Assembly, the Secretary-General expressed his deep concern over the financial situation confronting the Agency and the humanitarian, political and security consequences that will result if adequate and sustainable financing for 2015 and beyond is not made available immediately.

The Secretary-General emphasized that at a time when crises and human suffering are growing throughout the Middle East, it is imperative that UNRWA, a pillar of stability for a registered population of some 5 million Palestine refugees, is provided with the resources necessary to enable it to continue providing services including education for half a million Palestine refugee children, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The Secretary-General reiterated his full support for the Commissioner-General’s proposals to ensure immediate attention to the gravity of the situation caused by UNRWA’s unprecedented financial shortfall for 2015 and to address urgently the chronic funding issues faced by the agency for 2016 and beyond.

The Secretary-General, who has personally spoken to several world leaders in the past few weeks on this topic, called on all donors to urgently ensure that the US$100 million required be contributed to UNRWA at the earliest possible date so that the children of Palestine can begin their 2015-2016 school year without delay.(T/P008/RO6)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)