Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its unwavering support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as an “irreplaceable” provider of education, healthcare, and humanitarian relief to Palestinian refugees, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Speaking at the General Assembly meeting of the UNRWA Pledging Conference, Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Dr. Abdulaziz Alwasil emphasized the indispensable role of the UNRWA.
Steadfast Saudi Support
Alwasil, who was also the chair of the meeting, said that Saudi Arabia remains one of the agency’s largest supporters, driven by its recognition of the vital role UNRWA plays in aiding Palestinian refugees.
In this context, he renewed the Kingdom’s steadfast commitment to supporting UNRWA and the Palestinian people.
Moreover, he warned that targeting UNRWA falls within broader efforts to liquidate the Palestinian refugee issue in violation of international law.
He also pointed out that the agency’s current financial crisis threatens its ability to perform its core duties, calling for immediate funding to urgently address the deficit to guarantee uninterrupted operations.
In light of this, Alwasil noted that Saudi Arabia has allocated financial aid for the execution of development and humanitarian initiatives via UNRWA, bolstering the agency’s capacity to address the growing needs of Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA operates in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Established in 1949, the agency has a mandate from the UN General Assembly to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine Refugees in the agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their suffering.
Extensive Financial Aid
During his address in the meeting, the first secretary and head of the Fourth Committee and Organizations at the Saudi mission to the UN, Waleed Mamdouh M. Mosly, detailed the Kingdom’s robust financial support for the agency, according to Arab News.
He revealed that Saudi Arabia has provided a total of $835 million in development and humanitarian assistance through UNRWA over the years, solidifying its standing as one of its top global donors.
Mosly added that the Saudi Fund for Development has separately contributed $13.9 million specifically to back the agency’s education, healthcare, and relief programs.
Furthermore, he noted that Riyadh is preparing a series of new UNRWA-implemented projects valued at an estimated $20 million – the blueprints for which were finalized in February – to cover vital sectors across Gaza, Syria, and Jordan to meet the mounting needs of Palestinian refugees.
