UNRWA’s Budget Deficit Reaches $200m

UNRWA has been helping Palestinian refugees since 1949. (Photo: via UNRWA)

UNRWA’s budget deficient now stands at $200 million, Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl revealed today.

During a press conference at the agency’s regional headquarters in Gaza City, Krahenbuhl said:

“The current budget deficit of the Agency’s budget is about $200 million.”

He added:

“We know that we will be subjected to many attacks and criticism, but we will continue to provide services to Palestinian refugees, as mandated by the United Nations, and we will never allow any attempt to destroy the legitimacy of refugees.”

Israel publicly demands that UNRWA be terminated, and the current US administration has suspended its financial support for the agency, which has caused a major funding crisis.

Krahenbuhl stressed that UNRWA is making efforts to “recruit financial support to continue providing services.”

Krahenbuhl said:

“We will make every effort to continue to provide food assistance, especially here in Gaza. As I said before, we need about $60 million to buy food.”

He continued:

“We hope that we will keep schools open next year.”

Krahenbuhl also pointed out that 42 countries and organizations helped UNRWA last year to overcome its financial crisis.

(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)

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