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Add to Preferred SourcesAddressing the opening session of the 160th Session of the League of Arab States Council at the Ministerial level, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini urged Arab states to put the issue of Palestine Refugees back on top of their political agendas.
He concluded an official visit to Cairo on 5-6 September, during which he engaged in high-level discussions with Egyptian and Arab League officials, aiming to strengthen the partnership and garner support for Palestine Refugees, amid the Agency’s unprecedented financial crisis.
In his address, he highlighted the alarming developments exacerbating the tenuous situation millions of Palestine Refugees continue to live through every day, some 75 years after their initial displacement, saying:
“I urge you to put the issue of Palestine Refugees back to the top of your political agendas. UNRWA and Palestine Refugees need the Arab States to be at the forefront of a transformation from the status quo that has run its course to a new direction, a direction where Palestine Refugees have a tangible reason to hope for a long-term solution.”
He also stressed the urgency of the financial crisis faced by UNRWA, emphasizing the need for between US$170 – 190 million to sustain core services until the end of the year. He emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue to address the rights of Palestine Refugees and underscored the need for UNRWA to adapt in response to the financial gap, which is the largest in its history.
“You are also our allies in our efforts to raise funds and ensure that global solidarity with Palestine Refugees remains strong. I say this as Palestine Refugees have waited 75 years for a political solution,” said the Commissioner-General. “They have always relied on the Arab world for solidarity. They have no closer ally, no better partner.”