The Kingdom of Belgium has advanced its annual contribution of EUR 7 million towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) 2022 programme budget to support the Agency's services to Palestine refugees to the early part of 2022. This crucial and flexible funding is part of a current multi-year agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium and UNRWA totaling EUR 21 million between 2021-2023.
This contribution enables UNRWA to continue delivering essential services to one of the most vulnerable populations in the Middle East during the early part of the year. These services encompass education for over half a million Palestine refugee school students, primary health care services to close to two million refugee patients, amidst a global pandemic and a social safety net for some 400,000 poor refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. UNRWA services contribute to achieving the UN Agenda 2030 and contribute to regional stability and peace in a region confronted with multiple conflicts and crises.
Consul General, Mr. Wilfried Pfeffer said: "Belgium is committed to sustainable and predictable support to UNRWA through our multiannual contributions and projects. Our support to UNRWA aims at ensuring the continuation of vital health, education and social services for Palestinian refugees in the region."
This funding builds on the EUR 11.5 million given by the Kingdom of Belgium in 2021. Which included a EUR 1 million contribution towards emergency cash assistance in Syria and EUR 3.5 million towards the Education in Emergencies Programme. The programme will address the most urgent education and psychosocial needs of more than 370,000 UNRWA students affected by instability, conflict, or poverty in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the Agency's five fields of operation.
Director of UNRWA Partnerships Karim Amer said: "The longstanding reliable support of Belgium and the recognition of the need for early disbursement demonstrates why the Kingdom of Belgium is such an important donor and a key supporter of Palestine refugees. More specifically, the diversity and flexibility of funding demonstrates an understanding of the complexities of the region and the need for a variety of services that support Palestine refugees of all ages."
Belgium has been an active and supportive member of the Agency Advisory Commission since 1953. In 2021 Belgium (including Government of Flanders) was the 17th largest donor to the Agency, with a total contribution of EUR 11,659,666 million.
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA programme budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency's programme budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.7 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
