UNRWA Commissioner-General visits Brazil in recognition of growing partnership – UNRWA press release


UNRWA COMMISSIONER-GENERAL VISITS BRAZIL IN RECOGNITION OF GROWING PARTNERSHIP

07 May 2015

Jerusalem

UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl has used his first official visit to Brazil to highlight the importance of the growing partnership between the Agency and the Latin American state.

During the May 5-8 visit, Mr. Krähenbühl met with Brazil's External Relations Minister Mauro Vieira, Members of Parliament and other key stakeholders in Brasilia. He also met Eduardo Suplicy, Secretary of Human Rights of the city of Sao Paulo and private sector representatives. While in Brasilia, he launched the ‘Long Journey’ UNRWA photo archive exhibition at the Museum of the Republic.

The relationship between UNRWA and Brazil has grown remarkably in recent years, culminating in Brazil’s admission to the top UNRWA consultative body – the Advisory Commission – in December 2014. Brazil is the first Latin American country to join the Advisory Commission.

Mr. Krähenbühl said, “It is essential for UNRWA to further strengthen its relationship with Brazil. In view of the growing turmoil in the Middle-East and the existential crisis faced by Palestine refugees, our partnership with Brazil offers new opportunities of support in diplomatic and financial terms. I am very grateful for the growing interest Brazil is taking in UNRWA’s work for dignity and rights for Palestine refugees.”

Brazil contributed US$ 9.2 million worth of donations to UNRWA in 2014, in the form of rice for vulnerable and food-insecure refugees.  Brazil also contributed  $8 million to UNRWA between 2012 and 2013.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.

Financial support to UNRWA has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, expanding need, and deepening poverty. As a result, the Agency's General Fund (GF), supporting UNRWA’s core activities and 97 per cent reliant on voluntary contributions, has begun each year with a large projected deficit. Currently the deficit stands at US$ 100 million.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher Gunness

UNRWA Spokesperson

Mobile:

+972 (0)54 240 2659

Office:

+972 (0)2 589 0267

Sami Mshasha

Chief of Communications & Arabic Language Spokesperson

Mobile:

+972 (0)54 216 8295

Office:

+972 (0)2 589 0724


2019-03-12T18:11:41-04:00

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