UAE renews commitment to UNRWA as one of main contributors

ABU DHABAI - 27 July 2019: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reiterated its commitment to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, by offering a contribution of $50 million to the UN agency.

Saud Al Shamsi, the Deputy Permanent Representative and Charge d’Affaires of the UAE's Permanent Mission to the UN, emphasized that the agency contributes to the maintenance of security and stability in the region, UAE News Agency (WAM) reported on Saturday.

He noted that the UAE’s additional contribution to the agency in 2018 amounted to over US$50 million, making the UAE the sixth largest donor to the agency for that year.

This contribution has helped maintain the agency’s educational programs for hundreds of UNRWA schools, as well as the agency’s health and food program.

In addition, the UAE contributed $2 million to finance fuel for power stations which support hospitals in the Gaza Strip and provided $364 million through UAE aid initiatives in humanitarian, development and food assistance to the Palestinians during 2017 and 2018.

Additionally, he noted that the UAE will continue to support the agency including when it assumes the Vice-Chairmanship of the Advisory Committee of UNRWA in July 2019. Al Shamsi also underscored the importance of reaching a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, ending the suffering of Palestinian people and establishing an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.