JERUSALEM, May 10, 2017 (WAFA) - Russia has contributed $2 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in support of its core programs and services, including education for over 500,000 children, quality primary health care for over 3.5 million patients and assistance for over 250,000 acutely vulnerable refugees, an UNRWA press release said on Wednesday.

This contribution represents the first installment of a multi-year agreement that will see the Russia contributing $2 million per annum from 2017-2021, ensuring a predictable source of funding for the Agency’s human development and humanitarian interventions.

“We are deeply grateful for this generous contribution from the government and people of Russia, who have committed through this multi-year agreement to engage in a sustained partnership with UNRWA, in support of Palestine refugees across the region,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl. “Russia’s commitment to the mandate of the Agency is an important reminder that support to Palestine refugees is a global responsibility."

This contribution comes shortly after the Commissioner-General’s visit to Moscow in early April, during which he met with senior Russian officials, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Mikhail L. Bogdanov, to shed light on the humanitarian situation in the region and the crucial needs of Palestine refugees.

The partnership between UNRWA and Russia has deepened in recent years; since 2013, Russia has contributed $4 million to UNRWA for the Agency’s core programs and services.

M.K.