Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Sunday contributed $27 million in support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), stressing its support for the right of the Palestinian people and its rejection of the occupation policy.
Saudi Ambassador to Jordan, Nayef bin Bandar Al-Sudairy, handed the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philip Lazzarini, a cheque for the amount, to support the agency’s programs and operations in the region, in implementation of the directives of the Saudi King, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
The donation came during a press conference organized by the Saudi Embassy in Jordan.
This is the first amount the kingdom has handed over to the agency since 2019, when it handed over a donation of $50 million.
During the conference, the Saudi ambassador to Jordan said that the Kingdom is keen to support the agency; to enable it to fulfill its financial commitments and improve the lives of refugees.
The Saudi ambassador condemned the unilateral measures taken by the occupation government and demanded their immediate halt.
He said that the kingdom has provided more than $5 billion in support of the Palestinians since 1999; Including support for the Palestinian Authority’s budget in Ramallah, and support for a number of sectors, including infrastructure, food security, health and education.
For his part, Lazzarini thanked Riyadh and said that its unrestricted donation will support the agency’s efforts to implement its various programmes.
He explained that the donation will support efforts to serve health and education, as well as help the most vulnerable Palestinian refugees in various regions.
UNRWA took to Twitter and wrote, “UNRWA looks forward to further deepening partnership with #Saudi to promote a dignified life, especially in the face of growing needs and deteriorating conditions in the Palestinian camps across the region.”
The Kingdom is the third largest supporter of UNRWA globally, and the King Salman Relief Center plays a major role in relief and support work.
For several years, UNRWA has been suffering from major financial crises, which have affected the services it provides to Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA was established in 1949, by a decision of the United Nations General Assembly; To assist and protect Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operation: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, pending a just solution to their cause.
