The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, stressed, on Saturday 3 February, that there is no substitute for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), despite the fact that the Agency is being criticised for the alleged involvement of a dozen of its staff in the Hamas terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023.
According to Mr Borrell, “a majority of EU countries” feel this way, even though some Member States have stopped their payments to UNRWA, while others are reserving their decision until the results of the internal investigation carried out within the Agency are known. The European Commission is also asking UNRWA to accept an independent audit of its own controls (see EUROPE 13338/9).
UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini will be meeting European development ministers on Monday 12 February to discuss UNRWA’s activities and this issue.
Mr Borrell pointed out that, since 1949, UNRWA has played "an critical role in supporting Palestinian refugees, and not only in Gaza", since it is also active " in Lebanon, Jordan and the West Bank ". “UNRWA is feeding two million people and providing 30,000 medical assistance [actions] per day. It is providing school for more than 400,000 pupils”, he stressed at the end of the informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers.
In addition, Mr Borrell said he hoped that on Monday 19 February the EU ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council would be able to approve the launch of the EU’s Aspid mission to protect merchant ships in the Red Sea (see EUROPE 13340/23). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)