PARIS,
The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, completed his first visit to France in his capacity as the head of the Agency, having met with high-level officials of the French Government and members of the National Assembly, the Senate and civil society.
The Commissioner-General said: “We are very grateful for France’s robust financial and political support to Palestine Refugees. As a member of the Security Council and a strong contributor to multilateralism, humanitarian and development action, France is one of UNRWA’s major and long-standing partners since 1949. The increased support of the French Government to the Agency’s services in education and health in 2023 to our services across the region is even more relevant in Lebanon, where almost every Palestine Refugee lives in poverty.”
Between 26 and 28 June, Mr. Lazzarini discussed the situation in the Middle East and the role of UNRWA with the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Directors of the Ministry, the Middle East Advisor to the French President, parliamentarians and senators representing different parties and regions in France. During a visit to the Institut du Monde Arabe, the UNRWA Commissioner-General explored with the head of the institute ways to partner, especially on the heels of the current exhibition on display, celebrating Palestinian arts and culture. He also had an in-depth conversation with a group of academic experts and journalists who all specialise in the region and its complex geopolitics. All the meetings constructively focused on finding ways to further strengthen the Agency’s partnership with France, avenues to continue delivering basic services, in particular e challenges that UNRWA faces. The rights of Palestine Refugees to a dignified life and basic services were at the centre of all the discussions.
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Since 1950, France has been a dedicated and reliable partner to UNRWA. In 2023, France has increased its contributions of 15 per cent, especially to the Programme Budget of the Agency, reaching already EUR 31 million in total. France also provides support to the Agency’s Emergency Appeals for food assistance to Palestine Refugees in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
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Last year, France was the seventh largest contributor to the Agency, supporting the education of more than half a million Palestine Refugee children, health care for nearly two million refugees, and cash assistance to nearly 400,000 of the most vulnerable. With the generous contribution of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) under the WAHET project (2019-2023), UNRWA is improving access to adequate and sustainable water infrastructure and services in Palestine Refugee camps in Lebanon, including inclusive basic education for children. Last year, the project enabled the completion of the new UNRWA trilingual Arabic-English-French school in Saida, southern Lebanon, providing a safe school environment for almost 1,000 Palestine refugee students.
Background Information:
UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on.
UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
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