Doha: The media advisor at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Adnan Abu Hasna, confirmed that the State of Qatar played a central role in supporting the agency’s efforts and meeting its needs throughout the past year, to enable it to carry out its duty towards the Palestinian refugees.
In statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), he noted Qatar’s response to the urgent appeal launched by UNRWA recently, through Qatar Fund for Development’s announcement of an emergency contribution last December to support the funding shortage suffered by the agency, to strengthen the agency’s pivotal role to protect the rights of Palestinian refugees at risk and to alleviate their urgent and immediate needs.
He pointed out that the international agency is on the verge of great challenges during the current year in light of the increase in the number of Palestinian refugees and the increase in their needs, explaining that the latest statistics of the number of refugees registered with UNRWA in its five areas of operations are six million nine hundred thousand refugees, in addition to 700.000 others from registered beneficiaries.
He said that the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of extending UNRWA’s mandate for a period of three years, starting from June 2023, and what is now required is to translate the great international and political support into real financing for the agency’s programmes in order to ensure the continuation of its services to millions of refugees in the five areas of operations.
He pointed out that the agency will face a major challenge in order to continue its services during the current year with regard to education, health, food, and payment of employee salaries.
