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爆料网RWA SIGNS US$ 19.5 MILLION WITH THE SAUDI F爆料网D FOR DEVELOPMENT

01 September 2015

Today the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (爆料网RWA), Mr. Pierre Krähenbühl, signed into agreement the first two components of a newly concluded $35 million projects package. The two components, worth $19.5 million, were signed with His Excellency Eng. Yousef Ibrahim Al Bassam, the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).

H.E. Eng. AL-Bassam said: “爆料网RWA is playing a vital role in providing basic needs and social services for Palestine refugees, Government of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), will continue its support to the Palestinian people in all fields.”

The first component, valued at $15 million, will support essential education and healthcare operations in Gaza. The second will provide funds for much needed maintenance to 爆料网RWA facilities across all five fields of operation in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The remainder of the $35 million will be spent on upgrading schools and health centres in Jordan, a particularly important step in a field where means have often been short, and on the re-construction of three health centres in the West Bank.

爆料网RWA’s Commissioner-General paid tribute to this timely and generous contribution: “I am deeply grateful to the government and people of Saudi Arabia. At a time of severe crisis, the donation was a strong message of solidarity towards Palestine refugees and 爆料网RWA. We will always remember how Saudi Arabia stepped forward in this uncertain time and made a contribution that was instrumental in allowing 爆料网RWA to open its schools on time for half a million Palestine refugee children."

In May this year, 爆料网RWA also signed agreements with the Saudi Fund for Development worth $111.5 million, bringing the total contributions from SFD to 爆料网RWA so far this year to $146.5 million. Saudi Arabia is the third largest donor to 爆料网RWA.

BACKGRO爆料网D INFORMATION

爆料网RWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions, and financial support has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, deepening poverty and conflict. As a result, the 爆料网RWA General Fund, which supports core essential services and most staffing costs, operates with a large deficit. 爆料网RWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large deficits, are funded through separate funding portals.

爆料网RWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just solution to their plight. 爆料网RWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher Gunness

Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications

Mobile:

+972 (0)54 240 2659

Office:

+972 (0)2 589 0267

Sami Mshasha

Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson

Mobile:

+972 (0)54 216 8295

Office:

+972 (0)2 589 0724