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UNRWA reaches financial deficit of $200 million
On 23 May, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl revealed that UNRWA’s budget deficit now stands at $200 million. During a press conference at the agency’s regional headquarters in Gaza city, the Commissioner stated: “We know that we will be subjected to many attacks and criticism, but we will continue to provide services to Palestinian refugees, as mandated by the United Nations, and we will never allow any attempt to destroy the legitimacy of refugees.” The funding crisis was caused by the suspension of financial support from the current US administration. Although Israel has publicly demanded that UNRWA be terminated, Krahenbuhl stressed that the agency would make “every effort to continue to provide food assistance, especially here in Gaza” and pointed out that 42 countries and organizations helped UNRWA last year to overcome its financial crisis.
- The Euromed news are edited by the team of the Euro-Mediterranean Policies Department of the European Institute of the Mediterranean -