Belgium signs new EUR 27.5M agreement with UNRWA

Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez has signed a new multi-year funding agreement with UNRWA, totaling EUR 27.5 million over the next three years.

“UNRWA is currently the only aid agency in Gaza that has enough staff and infrastructure on the ground to get humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. If the agency runs out of funds, the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people will be at stake,” Minister Gennez said.

Belgium’s new multi-year agreement will cover 2024-2026, including a EUR 13.5 million contribution for 2024, and EUR 7 million for each remaining year. Critically, the entire EUR 27.5 million is fully flexible, enabling UNRWA to choose how to spend it. This will help the Agency rapidly and comprehensively address the most critical needs across its program budget, emergency appeals, and projects in all five fields of operation – not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

“We sincerely thank the Government of Belgium for yet another meaningful milestone in our long-standing cooperation, and invaluable political support Belgium has provided to UNRWA and Palestine Refugees throughout this horrendous conflict. We welcome Belgium’s prompt disbursement of our new agreement’s 2024 contribution. The true value of fully flexible funds cannot be overstated, as the Agency continues to work tirelessly to respond to the most urgent needs of Palestine Refugees in the occupied Palestinian territory and beyond,” said UNRWA’s Director of Partnerships Karim Amer.