Arab foreign ministers issued on Tuesday a call to support UNRWA following the United States’ decision to stop contributing its share of funds to the Palestinian refugee agency.
The ministers met in Cairo for an extraordinary session to address the UNRWA crisis.
They stressed the need for the agency to continue its pivotal relief work warning that any setback in its efforts would fuel crises in the Middle East.
It is an international political legal and moral duty to allow the agency to continue to pursue its relief work for five million Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operations they added.
They expressed their gratitude to international positions that had voiced support to UNRWA and countries that have paid their share of the funding. These contributions have lowered the agency’s current deficit from 417 million to 217 million dollars.
These contributions have also allowed schools to open for the new academic year and ensured that services will continue to be provided for refugees.
The reopening of schools is a clear message that the world supports UNRWA and its role the ministers said.
Furthermore they lamented Washington’s decision to halt its contribution to the agency warning of the dangerous repercussions the financial crisis will have on the refugees.
The ministers vowed that their countries would continue to support UNRWA to ensure continuity of services.
UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl presented the agency’s needs before the ministers as well as the repercussions of Washington’s decision to end its funding.
