Jordan, Sweden hold trilateral meeting on UNRWA

A Palestinians boy sits near the headquarters United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza city on January 6, 2018. US envoy to the UN Haley warned US support for UNRWA would end if the PA refuses to enter negotiations with Israel. Despite Mr. Trump’s Twitter message, Chris Gunness, an Unrwa spokesman, said the agency had not received any formal notification that the Trump administration intended to cut its funding. The United States is the top funder of Unrwa, and according to figures released in 2016, it contributed nearly $369 million. Photo by Ashraf Amra

Middle East Monitor  /  April 15, 2020

Jordan, Sweden and the officials from UNRWA held a trilateral teleconference meeting yesterday to discuss mobilising support for the UN agency to meet its financial needs which have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Al-Safadi, the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ann Linde and Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini discussed the repercussions of the novel coronavirus on Palestinian refugees and the agency’s budget and programs, and stressed the importance of providing the financial support needed by the UN agency to provide its vital services to the Palestinian refugees in its operation areas.

The officials also discussed preparations for the second Ministerial Strategic Dialogue on UNRWA in the near future to ensure sustainable political and financial support for the international body in 2020 and beyond.