On Saturday 1 September, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) called on the USA to reconsider its decision to suspend US financial support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Having cut is support to UNRWA significantly ($60 million paid in January compared with the usual $300 million annual payment), Washington announced on 31 August that is was suspending its aid (see EUROPE 11951). This announcement came two days before the return to school of 500,000 Palestinians to UNRWA schools after the holidays.
"The regrettable decision of the US to no longer be part of this international and multilateral effort" of UNRWA support "leaves a substantial gap and we hope that the US can reconsider their decision", the spokesperson for the EEAS said in a press release.
The spokesperson gave assurances as regards the European position. "The EU will continue its assistance to the Palestinians, including its support to UNRWA's activities", the spokesperson said, adding that the EU and member states are together the biggest contributors to the UN agency's budget and are "proud" to support its work in the supply of crucial services for Palestinian refugees.
The EU's contribution (alone) to UNRWA's operating budget is €82 million for 2018, and in 2017, the EU and its member states contributed €391 million to the agency.
The EEAS spokesperson said that, in the run-up to the UN General Assembly ministerial week, the Europeans would continue to discuss between themselves, and together with their international and regional partners, "how to ensure sustainable, continued and effective assistance to the Palestinians, including through UNRWA, at this difficult juncture".
The agency – which still has trouble in finalising its budget (there is reportedly a lack of $217 million in the $740 million budget to close the year) – has taken internal management measures to increase effectiveness and cut costs, and to broaden its donor base. The EEAS spokesperson thus called on UNRWA to continue its reforms and engage more in a transformative process. "The EU is committed to continue discussing these matters with UNRWA so as to secure the continuation and sustainability of the agency’s work", the EEAS spokesperson added. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)