While urging the USA to reconsider its decision to reduce its contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and to honour the total contribution it pledged, the European Parliament encouraged the EU and its member states on Thursday 8 February to allocate additional funding to this UN agency in order to cover its short-term financial needs.
In a joint resolution of the GUE/NGL, ECR, S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA and EPP groups that they adopted, MEPs hailed the decisions of the EU and several member states to fast-track the financing of UNRWA, urging the other donors to follow this example and the countries of the Arab League to strengthen their commitment to plug the shortfall in the agency's funding. All contributors should honour their pledges, the European Parliament warns.
Nevertheless, "any long-term solution to the recurrent financial shortages of the agency can only be achieved through a sustainable funding scheme in a global multilateral framework", the MEPs state, before calling on the EU to play a leading role in the international community to establish such a mechanism.
The Parliament also asks UNRWA to continue to improve its management structure and strategic planning towards enhanced transparency, accountability and internal oversight.
According to the Parliament, any unexpected reductions or delays in predicted donor disbursements to UNRWA can have damaging impacts on access to emergency food assistance for 1.7 million people and primary healthcare for 3 million Palestine refugees, and on access to education for more than 500,000 Palestinian children in 702 UNRWA schools. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)