UN agency for Palestinians runs out of money for first time

UNRWA acquired lowest degree of contributions since 2012, at a time when pandemic is exacerbating the wants of refugees.

The United Nations company for Palestinian refugees mentioned that, for the primary time in its historical past, it has run out of cash till the top of the yr.

The UN Aid and Works Company for Palestine Refugees within the Close to East (UNRWA) depends on funds from UN member states and the European Union, however mentioned it has been chronically underfunded for years.

Philip Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general, mentioned at a information convention in Gaza on Thursday that the company was on the “fringe of a cliff”.

“However I nonetheless imagine we will keep away from falling. We are able to keep away from falling if the solidarity of the worldwide neighborhood is expressed now,” he added.

The company mentioned earlier this month it wanted to boost $70m by the top of November or it won’t be able to pay the complete salaries of hundreds of workers by means of the top of the yr.

UNRWA had notified its complete workforce of 28,000 those that will probably be compelled to defer their salaries for the remainder of the yr.

Lazzarini mentioned UNRWA had acquired this yr the bottom degree of contributions since 2012, at a time when the wants of refugees are compounded by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNRWA can be warning the well being system in Gaza is about to break down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A boy and Palestinian workers of UNRWA participate in a protest in opposition to deliberate wage cuts [Mohammed Salem/Reuters]

The company mentioned a lot of the employees affected are refugees themselves and the cuts will have an effect on workers in nations throughout the Center East.

UNRWA was established to assist the 700,000 Palestinians who fled or had been compelled from their properties through the warfare surrounding Israel’s institution in 1948.

It offers schooling, healthcare, meals and different help to some 5.5 million refugees and their descendants within the occupied West Financial institution and the besieged Gaza Strip, in addition to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

The company’s funds have additionally been ravaged by a call by United States President Donald Trump’s administration to slash a whole lot of tens of millions of of assist, in addition to a disaster in confidence after its earlier commissioner-general was accused of abusing his authority.