UNITED NATIONS – Pakistan has made an enhanced contribution to thecash-strapped UNRWA, the UN agency entrusted to assist the Palestinianrefugees, that drew “heartfelt appreciation” from its chief, PierreKrahenbuhl.
Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN,handed over the enhanced contribution in New York to Peter Mulrean,Director of UNRWA, which supports more than five million registeredPalestinian refugees.
In addition, UNRWA provides education, health care, and social services tothe population it supports.UNRWA ran into deep financial trouble earlier this year when the UnitedStates cut back it’s funding of the Agency by around $300 million. Thatconstituted the largest-ever reduction in funding in UNRWA’s history,leading to a severe financial crisis which threatened the existence of manyof its critical assistance programmes; forcing cutbacks to itscash-for-work activities; and limiting the provision of assistance to onlythe most important.
Meanwhile, countries belonging to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation(OIC) and other states decided to step forward to plug the deficit facingUNRWA, and it has nearly been made up. Pakistan joined others in thateffort.
Speaking to UNRWA’s director at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, AmbassadorLodhi said Islamabad’s contribution was being increased on the instructionsof the government of Pakistan, and in accordance with the wishes andaspirations of the people of Pakistan.
“The people of Pakistan have always stood with their Palestinian brothersand sisters,” she added.Ambassador Lodhi stressed that this assistance will help UNRWA continue itsrelief efforts on the ground and keep the schools and clinics open that itruns in Palestinian refugee camps.
In his specially recorded video, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Krahenbuhlsaid, “Pakistan’s support in solidarity with the Palestinian people andwith Palestine refugees has been historic and extremely important, not onlythrough financial contributions but also in the debates at the UN GeneralAssembly in New York.
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“This year’s financial support will enable UNRWA to keep the schools for530,000 courageous Palestine refugees’ boys and girls open to keep ourclinics and primary health care centers running as well as to ensure reliefand social services,” he said.
“At the time where Palestine refugees feel forgotten by the world, thissign of support from Pakistan is extremely valued and extremely recognizedby us,” he said. “It will send a strong message to Palestine refugees thatthey are not forgotten and it will enable UNRWA to continue to stand forthe rights and dignity of this very anxious community,” Krahenbuhl added.
“For that once again, I am extremely grateful to Pakistan.”
The agency’s 711 schools, provide free basic education for Palestinianrefugee children in the West Bank – including East Jerusalem – Gaza,Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
