Saudi Arabia contributes US$600,000 to UNRWA – UNRWA press release

Saudi Arabia contributes US$600,000 to UNRWA

Amman- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today handed over to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) a contribution of US$600,000 towards the Agency's regular budget for 2007.

In a ceremony held this morning at the Saudi Embassy in Amman, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Karen Koning AbuZayd, received a cheque for the contribution from the Saudi Ambassador in Amman, H.E Mr. Abdul Rahman Naser Al-Ohaly.

In addition to regular annual contributions, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has over the last decade contributed generously to Agency projects – particularly under the Saudi Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People, through which UNRWA received nearly $50 million in funding for projects in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Expressing her appreciation for the continued support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abu Zayd said: "We highly value the Saudi contribution to UNRWA; and we hope to receive increased contributions from other governments in the region in order not only to maintain but also to improve humanitarian assistance to nearly 4.3 million Palestine refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza Strip".

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