The European Union confirmed today its role as a long-standing,
predictable and reliable partner of the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and
one of its largest donors.
The European Commission adopted €261 million as the multiannual
contribution that will allow to secure predictable financial
resources to the Agency for the provision of essential services
to Palestine refugees. In line with the EU-UNRWA Joint
Declaration 2021-2024, it includes the EU's three-year funding
for UNRWA for a total of €246 million, coupled with an additional
€15 million from the Food and Resilience Facility to address food
insecurity and mitigate the impact of the Ukraine war.
High Representative/Vice-President,
Josep Borrell, said: “The EU as
UNRWA's long-term partner is committed to continue with political
and financial support for its activities. UNRWA remains crucial
for providing the necessary protection and essential services for
Palestine refugees, supporting peace and stability in the region.
The EU will continue to support UNRWA in all its fields of
operations, including in East Jerusalem. Our support to UNRWA is
a key element in our strategy of contributing to the promotion of
security, stability and development in the region, which also
helps to keep alive the prospects of sustainable peace between
Israelis and Palestinians.”
EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement,
Oliver Várhelyi, said: “We remain
a reliable and predictable partner, and a top donor of UNRWA.
Others need to step up and join the EU in providing predictable
multiannual funding. The Agency plays a stabilising role in the
region. It must continue to do so, with a clear focus on its core
mandate. We will continue to work with UNRWA to strengthen the
Agency's governance systems and help step up transparency and
sound management. We remain also firmly committed to promote
quality education for Palestinian children and ensure full
compliance with UNESCO standards in all education material.”
Background
Since 1971, the strategic partnership between the European Union
and UNRWA has been based on the shared objective of supporting
human development, humanitarian and protection needs of Palestine
refugees and of promoting stability in the Middle East.
On 17 November 2021, UNRWA Commissioner General Lazzarini,
HR/VP Borrell, and
Commissioner Várhelyi signed the
EU-UNRWA "Joint Declaration on EU support to UNRWA (2021-2024)",
marking the 50th anniversary of the EU-UNRWA partnership. In the
Joint Declaration, the European Union commits to continue
supporting UNRWA politically and securing predictable,
multi-annual financial resources. UNRWA is experiencing
significant challenges in fulfilling its mandate due to recurrent
financial shortfalls.
There is an urgent need for UNRWA to reform and to identify
innovative ways to maintain the provision of services to
refugees. The EU supports UNRWA in taking forward these internal
reform efforts to secure a sound and sustainable financial basis,
which includes focusing on core services for the most vulnerable.
In addition to that, the EU continues to do its utmost to reach
out to existing and potential donors to put the Agency on a
sustainable fiscal model and to ensure fairer contribution
sharing.
