JERUSALEM, Tuesday, December 22, 2020 (WAFA) - The European Union (EU) has signed an additional contribution of EUR 4.6 million to the 2020 Programme Budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to help address the needs of Palestine refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic through its health and relief programmes, today said  UNRWA in a press release.

The announcement was made during a virtual meeting on 11 November between UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, and the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi. This contribution comes in addition to the disbursement earlier this year of EUR 82 million to the UNRWA Programme Budget.

The UNRWA Commissioner-General expressed his deep appreciation for the continued EU trust and support, stating that: "I am very grateful for the European Union's partnership with UNRWA and commitment towards Palestine refugees. This additional contribution is highly valued at a time when the Agency is facing an unprecedented financial crisis, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic."

The European Union Representative in Jerusalem, Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, said "I'm very pleased that we could pay this additional allocation still this year. 2020 has been a very difficult year for Palestine refugees, who are not only badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and UNRWA's serious financial crisis but also political tensions and the economic downturn in Palestine. This support will help address the much needed services for Palestinians in refugee camps, and notably in the health sector. UNRWA's work remains crucial for all Palestinian refugees and the viability of the two-state solution, as well as for the stability and security of the region."

The partnership between the European Union and UNRWA – which will next year mark its 50th anniversary - has evolved with the EU and its Member States becoming the largest multilateral provider of international assistance to Palestine refugees. This steadfast support has enabled UNRWA to provide frontline services to Palestine refugees across the Middle East, in the absence of a just and lasting solution to the plight of Palestine refugees.

T.R.