The United States announced a contribution of US$ 153.7 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in support of humanitarian assistance, human development, and protection of Palestine Refugees.
“We are very grateful for the United States’ long-standing financial and political support and partnership,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. “This contribution will help us keep over 700 schools and 140 health centers open over the next months. By providing UNRWA flexibility in how it utilizes U.S. funding, the U.S. also gives the Agency the means to prioritize spending where it is most needed, helping us address the Agency’s ongoing financial challenges. To us, this is a sign of trust and a trait of good donorship that we encourage other partners to follow.”
Because of this contribution, millions of Palestine Refugees in the Middle East will continue to have access to critical services including education, health, relief, and social services. The funding will also help the Agency respond to the humanitarian needs of Palestine Refugees in the Gaza Strip, and West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Syria (including in response to the devastating earthquake). This contribution raises U.S. funding to the Agency this year to US$ 206.8 million, reaffirming the United States’ position as UNRWA’s largest donor.
UNRWA and the United States also renewed their Framework for Cooperation (Framework Agreement) for 2023-2024, during a virtual signing ceremony this week. The Framework Agreement reaffirms the United States’ commitment to support the Agency, its mandate, and the rights of Palestine refugees and establishes shared goals and priorities.
During the signing ceremony, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Julieta Valls Noyes said, “We are proud of our joint achievements. The 2023-2024 Framework represents the next stage in ongoing U.S.-UNRWA cooperation and our commitment to the Palestinian people. It focuses on UNRWA’s commitment to humanitarian principles, particularly neutrality, and on crucial components of UNRWA’s internal management, improvements to its protection work, and engagement with – and accountability to – Palestinian refugees.”
As part of the ongoing exchanges with the United States, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General Leni Stenseth visited Washington, D.C. last month to lead the second U.S.-UNRWA Strategic Dialogue. At the meeting, there was a review of the work of UNRWA and its most recent reforms, including those that have improved its governance, transparency, and accountability, and a confirmation of the central role of the Agency in the lives of Palestine Refugees across the region.