The government of New Zealand to donate US$ 750,000 to UNRWA

9 October 2007

The government of New Zealand has announced that it is to donate 750,000 US dollars to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for use in the Agency’s emergency programmes in the occupied Palestinian territory. The announcement followed a meeting in New Zealand between the New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark and Karen AbuZayd, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA. "Since the beginning of 2006, political, economic and social conditions have sharply deteriorated for Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories. Ordinary Palestinians have been the main victims of this crisis," said Clark. New Zealand's assistance will support UNRWA’s food aid programmes, job creation schemes, health services, and will address the impact of conflict and non-conflict related violence on the most vulnerable Palestine refugees. Karen AbuZayd said, “We are extremely grateful for this donation which comes at a time of rising humanitarian need and when our emergency caseload is growing”.

Source: Xinua Press