RAMALLAH, February 3, 2017 (WAFA) – Switzerland has signed a multi-year $74 million agreement with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) that will go for the agency’s core programs and services.
According to a press statement by the UNRWA, the Swiss Confederation through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has signed a multi-year agreement with the UNRWA totaling CHF 75.5 million (approximately US$ 73.7 million).
This contribution will go towards the UNRWA’s core programmes and services, including education, health care, relief and social services and protection, over the 2017-2020 period.
This agreement comes shortly after Switzerland‘s additional contribution of CHF 1.35 million (approximately US$ 1.32 million) in December 2016 to the UNRWA Emergency Appeal for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) to support the Agency‘s temporary shelter cash assistance programme in Gaza and protection interventions in the West Bank.
“Given the myriad of challenges that Palestine refugees face today, predictable and reliable support from our partners remains critical in ensuring that their needs are met, not only in times of emergency, but also to support their long-term development," said Director of the External Relations and Communications Department at UNRWA Francoise Vanni.
Vanni expressed his gratitude to Switzerland for their ongoing support, “which will enable ]the UNRWA[ to continue delivering essential services to Palestine refugees throughout the region and help vulnerable refugees who are impacted by the challenging circumstances in the oPt.”
Head of Swiss Cooperation Office Véronique Hulmann added: "Switzerland supports its multilateral partners with multi-year agreements to strengthen the predictability of their funding and to contribute to their financial sustainability, as pledged at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016."
In 2016, Switzerland contributed CHF 25.3 million (US$ 24.9 million) to UNRWA, including CHF 21.9 million to the Agency‘s core programmes and services.
Switzerland is currently the chair of the UNRWA Advisory Commission, which advises and assists the Commissioner-General in carrying out the Agency‘s mandate, and has been a member since 2005.
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