The discussion takes place in light of the current financial
crisis facing UNRWA and the need to broaden its donor base and
continue reforming the Agency. The EU and UNRWA remain
committed to protecting the rights of Palestine refugees and
continue the delivery of essential services to more than 5
million Palestine refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and
the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement
Negotiations, Johannes Hahn,
has said that "the European Union stands by its commitment to
Palestine refugees and UNRWA. We have accelerated our
contribution to UNRWA's Programme Budget in 2018 and are
committing to maintaining the present level of support to 2020.
I recognise the importance of providing predictability to UNRWA
in these difficult times. The Agency is a crucial stabilising
factor in the Middle East. We stress the need, in parallel, for
UNRWA to pursue deep reforms and to focus on the needs of the
most vulnerable refugees."
UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre
Krähenbühl expressed gratitude that, “once again,
UNRWA could count on the support of the EU to overcome the
unprecedented challenges it faces. The EU has been one of our
most reliable donors for decades. I am very grateful for the
support of the EU in mobilising the international community
around a concerted global response to the most severe financial
crisis in our seventy year history and helping us build new
funding alliances needed to ensure improved income diversity."
EU funding supports crucial UNRWA programmes in education,
health, relief and social services; providing a quality
education for half a million children and primary health care
for more than 3.5 million patients in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon,
Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The Strategic Dialogue discusses the challenging budgetary
situation of UNRWA, which has been exacerbated by the recent
announcement by the US government to withhold a considerable
part of its funding.
The EU and UNRWA are also discussing the reform agenda of the
Agency, agreeing on the need to safeguard the Agency's core
services, especially to the most marginalised refugees and
exploring joint advocacy opportunities to highlight the plight
of Palestine refugees at the global level.
Background
Since 1971, the European Union and UNRWA have maintained a
strategic partnership governed by the shared objective of
supporting the human development, humanitarian and protection
needs of Palestine refugees and promote stability in the Middle
East. In June 2017, the EU's commitment was reaffirmed with the
signing of the Joint EU- UNRWA Joint Declaration on support to
UNRWA (2017-2020).
Today, the European Union is the largest multilateral provider
of international assistance to Palestine refugees. The overall
contribution in 2017 amounted to 110 million euro, including
102 million euro for the UNRWA programme Budget.
The partnership between the European Union and UNRWA has
allowed millions of Palestine refugees to be better educated,
live healthier lives, access employment opportunities and
improve their living conditions, thus contributing to the
development of the entire region.
UNRWA
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services
resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine
refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening
poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary
contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the
growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which
supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with
a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work
collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the
Agency's Programme Budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key
projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded
through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General
Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and
protection to over 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its
mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon,
Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full human
potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA services include education, health care, relief and
social services, camp infrastructure and improvement,
protection and microfinance.
