The European Union proposes additional €40 million for Palestine Refugees to keep schools and health clinics open | WPN World People News

On September 27, the European Commission proposed additional support for UNRWA to allow the agency to keep providing access to education for 500,000 Palestine refugee children, primary health care for more than 3.5 million patients and assistance to over 250,000 vulnerable Palestine refugees.

During the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Ministerial meeting in the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini said on September 27: "Today we reaffirm the EU's political and financial support to UNRWA, with an overall contribution from the EU and its Member States of €1.2 billion for the past three years. UNRWA is essential for the perspective of a two-state solution. Supporting the agency means supporting peace and security in the Middle East. And this is in our strategic interest."

Also present at the meeting, Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, stated: “Keeping schools open for Palestine refugees is a key priority for all of us. With this additional funding we reaffirm the European Union's clear and firm commitment to UNRWA and Palestine refugees. This is an exceptional response to an exceptional crisis. UNRWA needs now to focus on core services to the most vulnerable and to urgently align its activities to available funding. We stand ready to help UNRWA and to work with host governments to manage the process."

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides added: “Our additional humanitarian assistance will help UNRWA respond to health needs which have increased significantly over the past six months in Gaza. This will strengthen the healthcare system and help UNRWA-run primary healthcare centres in Gaza meet increased demands. We remain committed to assisting the most vulnerable people in Gaza and to strengthening the resilience of the most affected communities.”

The European Union has long been the largest and most reliable donor to the agency. This additional support for 2018 brings the overall European Commission contribution to UNRWA's activities in 2018 to €146 million. For the past three years (2016, 2017 and 2018) the total contribution of the EU and its Member States combined has reached approximately €1.2 billion. The EU also works with UNRWA to take forward internal reforms to secure a sound and sustainable financial basis, which includes focusing on core services to the most vulnerable.

Source: European Commission