Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi on Monday said that work is underway to mobilize political and financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which is currently suffering from a funding crises.
During a meeting with Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ann Linde and UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, Safadi discussed preparations for holding an international conference on UNRWA later this year.
The minister underlined the need to provide financial support for the agency to enable it to continue providing vital services to more than 5 million Palestinian refugees, in addition to more than 560,000 UNRWA schools in its five areas of operation.
The agency’s role is ‘indispensable, which is evident in the major role it played in providing the necessary humanitarian and vital services following the recent aggression on the Gaza Strip, Safadi said.
During the meeting, Lazzarini briefed the officials on the agency’s financial situation and endeavours to secure the necessary funding, as well as future plans.
The UNRWA chief and the two ministers discussed means to provide international support that is necessary for the agency to meet its financial needs in light of mounting financial pressures and its repercussions on the Palestinian refugee communities and the agency’s budget and programs.
They stressed the importance of continuing the agency’s programs within targeted international efforts to provide the financial support for UNRWA to continue its vital services to Palestinian refugees as a key pillar of regional stability and security.
They also stressed the need to continue consultations with international partners to garner sustainable political and financial support to UNRWA in accordance with long-term financing mechanisms that enable the agency to efficiently continue its services to refugees.
Safadi commended Sweden’s key efforts to mobilize international support, offset the agency’s financial deficit and secure sustainable financing for it.
Ahead of the meeting, Safadi discussed with Linde ways and means of strengthening Jordanian-Swedish ties in various fields within the framework of the European Union, and reviewed regional developments and efforts to resolve regional crises.
Source: Jordan News Agency