MOU between US and UNRWA – 7 Sept. 2021 Daily Press Briefing – (Excerpts)

7 SEPTEMBER 2021

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

/…

Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  On 16 July, the United States and UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] signed a memorandum of understanding.  In this memorandum, the US dictates to UNRWA how to behave, how to recruit, how to scrutinize the staff, how not to express their affiliation or their ideologies.  And how to even change the curriculum for schools.  I think this is a kind of interference, direct interference.  It’s a precedent that a Member State dictates to an UN agency what to do and how to behave.  If you cannot answer me, why they did that, I really request someone from UNRWA to come and answer all these questions.  Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman:  From our standpoint, UNRWA interacts with a variety of Member States to address their concerns.  And we trust that UNRWA does a professional job and its staff do professional jobs.  But, we are aware that different Member States, including donor Governments and others with whom UNRWA interacts, have had concerns about its practices.  And it’s in dialogue with them to address that.  And that’s part of its own responsibilities.

Correspondent:  This is a written agreement.  This is something not only just expressing hope that UNRWA will do this and do that.  This is more than that.  It goes beyond.

Deputy Spokesman:  Again, this is part of the regular interactions that UNRWA has with countries to address their own concerns and make sure that the work that we do is objective and is… and the professionalism of our staff is respected by all.

Question:  So you say that donations, it’s okay to be granted under conditions?

Deputy Spokesman:  No.  What I’m saying is that this is part of a normal dialogue.  And, indeed, other UN agencies also engage in dialogues with donors and others to address whatever concerns they have about our practices.  So, that is a standard part of the work that UN agencies do.

Question:  Can you please arrange for the Commissioner General, Mr. [Philippe] Lazzarini, to brief us on that or any other issue?

Deputy Spokesman:  We will see whether UNRWA is interested in a briefing along those lines.  All right.  Have a good afternoon, everyone.

For information media. Not an official record.