The Diplomat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha González Laya, received yesterday in Madrid the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Phillipe Lazzarini, who took advantage of the meeting to thank Spain for the additional contribution of five million euros made last December.
Lazzarini’s visit comes “at a time when the agency is facing serious budgetary problems due to the reduction of donor contributions in recent years and the increased needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated.
For that reason, Lazzarini thanked the minister for Spain’s “special contribution, made at the end of 2020 in response to the appeal made by the commissioner to maintain the functioning of the basic services provided to the Palestinian population in refugee camps”, it continued. González Laya announced the additional contribution of five million euros to UNRWA last December 10 in Ramallah (West Bank), during a meeting with the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmud Abbas, and confirmed it a week later during a telephone conversation with Philippe Lazarini.
In addition, the Minister reiterated yesterday to Lazzarini Spain’s commitment to the humanitarian work being carried out by UNRWA, providing basic services to Palestinian refugees, and had a few words of recognition for the Spanish Committee of UNRWA, one of the pioneers worldwide, which channels the contributions of the autonomous communities, municipalities and civil society.
In relation to recent criticisms of UNRWA’s performance, Lazzarini also had the opportunity to explain to the Minister his efforts to reform the agency and increase its efficiency and transparency and thus gain the support of donors who had distanced themselves from it in recent years. For her part, González Laya expressed Spain’s desire to continue collaborating and to strengthen new avenues, such as the deployment of Spanish experts and volunteers to the agency.
Spain has financially assisted UNRWA since 1958, funding both humanitarian aid and development programs in education, health and social services. From 2001 to date, Spain has contributed more than 135 million euros to the agency’s financial support.
The aim of the additional Spanish contribution is to help alleviate the difficult economic situation of UNRWA, which has a financial deficit of $114 million, which has led the UN Emergency Fund itself to disburse $20 million, by way of a loan, to enable the agency to pay the salaries of essential local staff (basically teachers and doctors). At present, UNRWA provides assistance and protection to the five million Palestinian refugees living in 58 camps in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, awaiting a solution to their status.
