AMMAN — UNRWA could face a potential collapse due to a
severe funding crisis. The agency has received only a fraction of its allocated
budget for the current year, jeopardizing crucial services provided to
Palestinian refugees, reported Al-Mamlaka TV.
اضافة اعلان
UNRWA has received a mere $364 million out of the $1.63
billion budget announced for this year, leaving a funding gap of $1.3 billion.
With less than a quarter of the required funds secured, the agency is
struggling to sustain its operations and maintain essential services.
Long-term stability needed
Juliette Touma, the director of Communications at UNRWA,
emphasized the need for stable support and a long-term budget rather than
monthly funding.
The agency's current budget includes allocations for core
activities such as health, education, relief, social services, and protection,
amounting to $848 million in 2023.
Emergency appeals for support
To address the financial crisis, UNRWA has launched two
appeals for emergency response. The first appeal aims to secure $344.9 million
for the occupied Palestinian territories, while the second appeal seeks $436.7
million for Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
The shortfall exists in both the programmatic and emergency
budgets, posing a threat to the continuity of vital services.
Urgent appeal for earthquake-affected region
In March, UNRWA issued an urgent appeal at the International
Donors Conference in Brussels, requesting $16.2 million to address the
humanitarian and early recovery needs of Palestinian refugees affected by a natural
disaster.
The appeal for 2023 is expected to cover the immediate
requirements of Palestinian refugees in earthquake-affected areas of Syria and
Lebanon until August.
Commissioner-general calls for support
UNRWA's Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, attended
the Arab Summit in Jeddah Friday, where he raised awareness about the agency's
severe funding crisis.
Lazzarini urgently appealed to wealthy Arab states,
emphasizing their historic role as founders of UNRWA and urging them to either
resume or increase their financial support. The decline in funding from Arab
donors since 2018 has deepened the agency's financial crisis.
Lazzarini highlighted the monthly uncertainty faced by UNRWA
in paying the salaries of approximately 30,000 employees.
The agency, established in 1949, aims to provide
humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestinian refugees until
a just and lasting solution is achieved. Operating in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria,
the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), UNRWA now finds
itself in a precarious state of "bare survival".
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