UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini conducted a four-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of his efforts to mobilize support for the Agency as it continues to respond to the catastrophic situation in Gaza.
During high level meetings he held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait and Riyadh, Lazzarini warned that the Agency’s lifesaving operations in Gaza and its critical services across the region are now seriously threatened following the decision of some of its main partners to freeze their funding. He called on UNRWA’s regional partners to help maintain essential services in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
“Palestine Refugees have long relied on the solidarity and the generosity of Arab governments and people. With the current decision of key donors to freeze temporarily their funding to UNRWA, I turn to partners in the region to help the Agency remain a lifeline for Palestine Refugees,” said Commissioner-General Lazzarini.
Following their meeting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, stressed his unwavering support for the humanitarian work of UNRWA, noting that sustaining the Agency’s humanitarian efforts has become an urgent priority, requiring concerted efforts from the international community to support the Agency and all UN efforts made to provide relief to the Palestinian people.
Sheikh Abdullah underlined that allegations that UNRWA is facing should not have negative repercussions on UNRWA’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza, where about 1.7 million have been displaced due to the continuing conflict, adding that he appreciated UNRWA’s and UN headquarters’ immediate action to investigate the claims. He reiterated a call for donor countries that have suspended their funding to UNRWA to reconsider their decision.
On Monday in Qatar, His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani emphasized that the State of Qatar will continue to support UNRWA, given that the Agency’s responsibility has doubled amid the current cataclysmic humanitarian situation facing the innocent civilian population in Gaza. He also underscored the keenness of Qatar to continue the unhindered and sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Sheikh Mohammed warned of the catastrophic consequences arising from suspending funding for UNRWA. He underlined the need to distinguish between UNRWA as a UN agency with deep-rooted values and traditions and the claims against a handful of its personnel who are under investigation.
On Tuesday in Kuwait City, His Excellency Abdulla Ali Al-Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed Kuwait’s steadfast support for the Palestinian people, including its support for UNRWA, noting that the Agency constitutes a basic pillar of stability in the region. He underlined the importance of the Agency’s noble work and the humanitarian services it provides to Palestine Refugees.
On Thursday in Riyadh, HRH the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan underscored the centrality of UNRWA to the humanitarian response in Gaza and encouraged the Commissioner-General to continue showing leadership at the helm of the largest humanitarian actor in the region.
Later the same night, the four Foreign Ministers met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Jordan Mr. Ayman Safadi, the Foreign Minister of Egypt Mr. Sameh Shukri, and the Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee, Mr. Hussein el Sheikh. The participants at the meeting called for an immediate ceasefire, and expressed their full support of UNRWA, calling on its partners to continue to support the Agency as well.
Nearly 2 million people in Gaza – the vast majority women and children – depend on UNRWA for their sheer survival as the Agency manages overcrowded shelters, food assistance and primary health care. If the funding remains suspended, the Agency’s operations will be compromised by the end of February, not only in Gaza but also across the region.
