The head of the United Nations lead agency for Palestinian refugees, Peter Hansen, today (10 February) appealed to the international community not to let the West Bank and Gaza slide down its list of priorities as the world focuses on a potential conflict in Iraq. Mr. Hansen, Commissioner-General of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), also warned that the Agency’s emergency activities in the region will run out of resources and come to an end by late March – including the feeding of 1.1 million people – unless donations are received immediately from the international community.
“We are scraping the bottom of every barrel and stretching every dollar we have, but without immediate donations our emergency operations are going to grind to a halt,” Mr. Hansen said.
“We are scraping the bottom of every barrel and stretching every dollar we have, but without immediate donations our emergency operations are going to grind to a halt,” Mr. Hansen said.
“The cutbacks come at a time when the uncertain regional situation makes it ever-more imperative that we maintain a lifeline to the refugees in the territories. And yet the paradox is that our emergency funding for the year may be threatened because donors are holding back to see what is needed in Iraq.”
In December, UNRWA asked for $94 million to support its emergency programmes in the territories for the first six months of 2003. So far, no funds have been received and only a small portion of the Agency’s needs have been pledged.
In December, UNRWA asked for $94 million to support its emergency programmes in the territories for the first six months of 2003. So far, no funds have been received and only a small portion of the Agency’s needs have been pledged.