Brussels, 04/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On 3 March in Jerusalem, the EU and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) signed an agreement to allocate funding of €66 million for five operations providing assistance to the Palestinian population.
In 2009 the EU provided total funding of $227.6 million, including $178.08 million from the European budget and the remainder from specific action in the region (for the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and reconstruction of the Nahr El Bared camp in Lebanon), in addition to $250.9 million paid by member states. In 2009, Europe as a whole contributed more than $477.9 million. In comparison, the US contributed $267.95 million, the UN $18.5 million, OPEC $4.2 million and the Islamic Bank $1.467 million for the same period, in addition to many contributions made by organisations and the private sector. In 2009, UNRWA benefited from total funding throughout the world of $1 billion. (F.B./transl.fl)