JERUSALEM, July 1, 2014 – (WAFA)
- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD),
has donated US$ 89.5 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees (UNRWA), said UNRWA in a press released published online.
On 30 June, two agreements, to
support UNRWA projects in the West Bank and Gaza, were signed in Riyadh by SFD
Vice-Chairman and Managing Direct Eng. Yousef Al Bassam and UNRWA
Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl.
“The relationship between the
UNRWA and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to grow in strength and
quality”, said Krähenbühl. He continued: “Our partnership has delivered
innumerable benefits for Palestine refugees. UNRWA as an agency consistently
delivers these improvements to the highest of standards, in often extremely
difficult circumstances. Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Fund for Development,
recognizes this, and together we will continue to improve the conditions and
support the dignity of Palestine refugees.”
The first agreement will support
the construction of new schools and health centers in Gaza Strip to relieve the
burden on existing UNRWA facilities in the blockaded enclave. One of the
centerpieces of the cooperation will be the construction of an auditorium and a
faculty of art and human sciences for Gaza’s Al-Azhar University. Two hundred
shelters will be reconstructed, along with the undertaking of other
environmental-infrastructure projects.
In West Bank, the second
agreement will enable UNRWA to reconstruct two of its health centers. In
addition, the Agency will be able to continue work on its Kalandia and Ramallah
training centers, which provide young Palestine refugee men and women with
skills and training needed by the labour market.
The support received from Saudi
Arabia makes a vital contribution to the Agency’s efforts to ensure access to
these services.
K.F./T.R.
