Japan Contributes $28.4 Million to UNRWA in Support of Palestine Refugees

Beirut, 29 Jumadil Awwal 1438/26 February 2017 (MINA) – The Government of Japan has contributed US$ 28.4 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in support of the Agency’s core programmes, emergency response efforts and priority projects.

Of the total contribution, US$ 17.7 million will go towards the Agency’s core programmes and services, encompassing education for half a million Palestine refugee children and youth, health care for more than 3.5 million patients, and social services for nearly 300,000 vulnerable refugees, SPA reported Saturday.

US$ 5.2 million will support the Agency’s emergency operations in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the West Bank and Gaza, while US$ 3.5 million will go towards UNRWA emergency interventions in response to the ongoing crisis in Syria.

The final US$ 2 million will help fund UNRWA projects in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.

The contribution agreement was signed on 23 February by the UNRWA Commissioner-General, Pierre Krähenbühl, and the Japanese Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to the Palestinian Authority, Takeshi Okubo, at UNRWA Headquarters in East Jerusalem.

“The Government and people of Japan are remarkable partners of UNRWA, and we remain ever grateful for their support and their demonstrated solidarity with Palestine refugees,” said Mr. Krähenbühl. (T/RS05/RS01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)