UN chief underlines financial stability for UNRWA, expresses hopes for securing sustainable funding for relief agency
AMMAN — “UNRWA is a hot topic these days, but one fundamental thing is often being lost in the debate: people,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told a press conference on Monday at one of UNRWA's schools.
Guterres, during a Ramadan solidarity visit to Jordan to meet Palestine refugees being served by UNRWA, highlighted the agency's significant role in Jordan, serving 2.4 million Palestinian refugees, making it the largest among the five fields UNRWA operates in.
He highlighted the vital role played by UNRWA in providing essential primary healthcare services and medication, free of charge, through health centres, especially for mothers and their children.
He said that UNRWA offers a diverse curriculum including science, English language, and human rights and conflict resolution classes.
Guterres added, “UNRWA is a lifeline of hope and dignity not only here in Jordan, but also in Syria, in Lebanon, and of course in the occupied West Bank and Gaza”, which provide, according to Guterres, education for over half a million girls and boys, health care for around 2 million people, and ensure a social safety net for nearly half a million of “the poorest Palestinians”.
Guterres highlighted the remarkable resilience of UNRWA despite significant challenges, acknowledging the immense obstacles the agency faces, particularly in the context of conflict zones like Gaza.
The UN chief also expressed deep concern over the staggering toll on UNRWA personnel, noting that 171 dedicated women and men from the agency since October 7 have lost their lives in Gaza, which is the largest number of deaths of UN staff in history.
Regarding the defunding and particularly the United States House of Representatives approving a $1.2 trillion funding bill on Friday that would ban funding for UNRWA, Guterres said, “I am determined to ensure that UNRWA abides by the values of the United Nations in all its actions.”
Guterres conveyed his hope for securing sustainable funding for UNRWA, emphasising the importance of financial stability for the agency’s crucial humanitarian work.
He also expressed optimism regarding future funding prospects, citing ongoing independent investigations and reviews of its operations.
Guterres highlighted the significance of these forthcoming reports, suggesting that their findings may contribute to bolstering support for UNRWA’s mission and enhancing its effectiveness in delivering aid to Palestinian refugees.
He called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza to “silence the guns” and alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza strip, reiterating the UN’s longstanding advocacy for a cessation of hostilities as the essential precondition for delivering humanitarian aid effectively to the people of Gaza, who are facing dire circumstances.
“Our voice was relatively alone calling for a ceasefire, but now we are seeing more and more the international community recognising the same.”
Guterres highlighted recent developments, including the European Union’s acknowledgment of the need for a pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire and discussions within the Security Council regarding a resolution advocating for a ceasefire alongside the unconditional release of hostages.
He highlighted the importance of securing the release of hostages while calling for a ceasefire.
Guterres warned against the catastrophic consequences of a ground invasion of Gaza, echoing concerns expressed by the international community, including the United States, the EU, and the Islamic world.
More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians are sheltering in the southern city, where Israel alleges that Hamas leaders are hiding and Hamas battalions still operate.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to international criticism of the planned ground invasion of Gaza, saying “no international pressure will stop Israel” from achieving all of its war objectives.
