By : staff writer
Jordan Daily – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Monday that its operations in Jordan could be severely affected if funding is not restored soon, following the suspension of aid by 16 donor countries over allegations against its staff in Gaza.
“Palestine refugees in Jordan are deeply worried about the suspension of funding to UNRWA,” said Olaf Becker, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan, in a statement sent to Jordan Daily.
He said the agency’s extensive operations in Jordan, with an annual budget of around $145 million and approximately 7,000 staff members, played a vital role in delivering essential services to Palestine refugee communities.
“These drastic measures can jeopardise the running of 161 schools serving more than 107,000 students, 25 health centers providing over 1.6 million medical consultations annually, and cash assistance support for 59,000 of the most vulnerable, as well as 20,000 Palestine refugees who have fled Syria,” he said.
UNRWA, which was established in 1949 to aid the refugees who fled or were expelled from their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, operates in five fields of operation: the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Becker added that UNRWA is also responsible for waste management in 10 official camps, where over 400,000 individuals live.
He said that investing in UNRWA means investing in stability for the region, the economic and social well-being of Palestine refugees, the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the resilience of host countries like Jordan.
He reiterated that “UNRWA fully relies on donor contributions to ensure the continuous delivery of its services, as per its mandate towards Palestine Refugees”.
