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Despite recent donation, UN agency for Palestine refugees still faces gaping deficit

Xinhua, August 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Thursday that even with a generous donation from Saudi Arabia, UNRWA still has a 101- million U.S. dollars deficit, which threatens to delay next school year for half a million children.

"Saudi Arabia has approved an assistance package worth 35 million U.S. dollars. UNRWA's Commissioner-General, Pierre Krahenbuhl, said that at this time of severe crisis, the donation is received as a strong message of solidarity towards Palestine refugees and UNRWA," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general.

However, even with such a generous donation, UNRWA has not been able to bridge the 101 million U.S. dollars deficit in its general fund, said Dujarric.

"If this is not achieved by the middle of this month, the agency will have to make a painful decision about whether it will be forced to delay the start of the next school year," said Dujarric.

Such a decision would affect some 500,000 students and 22,000 teachers in 700 schools across the Middle East, said Dujarric.

On Aug. 4, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all donors to contribute 100 million U.S. dollars to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) so that Palestine children can begin their 2015-2016 school year without delay.

Ban said that at a time when crises and human suffering are growing throughout the Middle East, it is imperative that UNRWA, a pillar of stability for a registered population of some 5 million Palestine refugees, is provided with the resources necessary to enable it to continue providing services including education for half a million Palestine refugee children.

As for the security situation, Dujarric said that there have been an increasing number of demonstrations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, adding to a sense of instability in the region.

UNRWA provides humanitarian assistance, human development, protection, and advocacy for some 5 million registered Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Approximately 98 percent of UNRWA's funding comes from voluntary contributions made by UN member-states and generous donations from private organizations and individuals, according to the agency's website. Endite