Jordan to maintain efforts to drum up financial, political support to UNRWA-FM

AMMAN - The Kingdom will continue to work to mobilize political and financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, said.اضافة اعلان

The FM's remarks came during a meeting Thursday with UNRWA commissioner-general, Philip Lazzarini, to discuss ways to support UNRWA and provide "sufficient and sustainable" assistance to enable the agency to continue providing its vital services to about 7.5 million Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operation, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The discussions also reviewed outcomes of the International Ministerial Conference in Support of UNRWA, co-chaired by Jordan and Sweden last November in Brussels, which led to direct financial contributions to support the agency, amounting to $38 million, the statement noted.

Safadi reiterated the Kingdom's "firm" position aimed to sustain UNRWA's work until the issue of Palestinian refugees is resolved, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, including Resolution 194 that guarantees their right for return and compensation, within framework of a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian cause on the basis of the two-state solution.

Jordan, Safadi said, will continue to work and coordinate with regional and international partners to mobilize the necessary support for the agency to maintain its vital services to refugees.

Safadi warned of the humanitarian, political and security consequences that would have significant impacts on the region's security and stability if the agency becomes unable to provide services to Palestinian refugees as a result of the drop in assistance to it.

Lazzarini, for his part, valued Jordan's continued efforts to mobilize international support for the agency to plug its financial deficit, stressing the importance of the kingdom's role in cooperation with the international community in this regard.

Briefing Safadi on the financial deficit facing 2022 UNRWA's budget, the two sides agreed to continue coordination and consultations bilaterally, and with international and regional partners on ways to mobilize the necessary international support for UNRWA.

Jordan and Sweden organized a series of ministerial meetings in recent years to mobilize political and financial support for UNRWA.

On aid efforts and allocations to UNRWA so far, 2018 Rome Conference resulted in pledges amounting to $122 million, while the ministerial conference held in June 2020 mobilized support worth $130 million. The recent meeting in Brussels reported direct financial contributions of $38 million and pledges of $615 million for 2022 and beyond.

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