Saudi Arabia pays balance of annual payment to UNRWA – UNRWA press release

Saudi payment of $800,000 to UNRWA

27 October
Amman

The Saudi Ambassador, HE Mr Fahad Al-Zaid, has presented UNRWA with a cheque for $800,000 representing the balance on the Kingdom’s annual payment for UNRWA’s regular programmes in 2010 of $2 million, which was announced last December.

Taking receipt of the cheque, Peter Ford, Representative of the Commissioner-General, thanked the Kingdom, noting that Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest funders of Agency construction projects – housing, schools etc, and also relief projects. At the same time he underlined the serious situation the Agency continues to face with funding for its regular programmes. He said: “The Agency is forecasting a year end deficit of $46 million. Unless it receives substantial additional funds the Agency may be forced to suspend operations in some of its facilities, which means closing schools, health centres and feeding centres.

“The outlook for 2011 is even worse, owing to the rising number of refugees needing assistance, especially in Gaza and the West Bank, and rising prices.”

Peter Ford stated that UNRWA was glad to be able to count on Saudi support in the context of the Kingdom’s chairmanship of UNRWA’s Advisory Commission of donors and countries hosting Palestinian refugees. “The end of year meeting of the Advisory Commission will be on 30 November at the Dead Sea. This will be an extremely important meeting at a difficult time for the Agency,” he said.

For further information please contact:

Peter Ford
Representative of UNRWA Commissioner-General
Mobile: 00962776760062
Office: 0096265808521

Sami Mshasha
Arabic Spokesperson
+972 542 168 295
s.mshasha@unrwa.org