FM Shoukry meets with UNRWA commissioner-general

CAIRO - 11 September 2017: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl during their meeting Monday, that Cairo will do its best to support the agency and continue its efforts and activities with refugees.

According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zaid, Shoukry told Krähenbühl that the Egyptian government will stand with UNRWA politically in international forums, convincing other foreign governments to fund it in order to be able to continue its role in aiding Palestinian refugees.

Krähenbühl noted that the agency is currently facing a major problem regarding finding financing sources, especially because some donor countries have recently failed to pay their share. As a result, he added, the agency's financial situation has deteriorated considerably.

Both sides also discussed during their meeting the long and strong relations between the Egyptian government and UNRWA, according to Abu Zaid’s statements.

UNRWA has only four main regional offices around the world including one based in Cairo. It depends on funding by UN member states.

The agency was established by the United Nations following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. It aims to carry out direct relief programs for Palestine refugees.