AMMAN, Nov 15 (NNN-PETRA) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), urgently needs between 50 and 80 million U.S. dollars, to finish the year and maintain the operations of its schools, health centres and other basic services, the agency’s Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini, said yesterday.
At the agency’s Advisory Commission Meeting in Amman, Lazzarini warned that, failure to raise that amount poses significant risks of industrial action, strikes, and consequently the suspension of services, according to a UNRWA statement.
The agency also needs some 200 million dollars, over a period of three years, to reach the objectives of the UNRWA Strategic Plan, Lazzarini added.
After years of austerity measures, the current underfunding problem can only be downsized through cuts to services, or to the eligibility to access them, he said.
“Our hospitalisation programme needs more support to remain effective in protecting Palestine refugees’ access to hospitals, amid widespread poverty and collapsing public services, in particular in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza,” the UN official was quoted as saying.
He stressed that, the current situation will increase health and security risks for refugees and staff, as critical maintenance work and replacement of assets that have been worn down by years of austerity will be further postponed.
