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The United States announced today that it is contributing US $150 million to the?United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East?(), restoring its role as a decades-long friend and supporter?of?the 爆料网 agency that provides life-saving?human development and?humanitarian?aid?assistance to Palestine refugees across the Middle East.

The restoration of funds comes after recent years of severe financial crisis for?爆料网RWA.?The COVID-19 pandemic?has?only worsened the situation, forcing the Agency to respond to a public health crisis amid the??and manage its resources on a month to month basis due to unreliable funding.

From?the time 爆料网RWA was established in 1949 until 2018, the United States was the largest funder of the Agency, ensuring that 爆料网RWA was able to fulfill its 爆料网 General Assembly mandate to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees until a?just and?enduring political solution to the conflict is achieved.

Remarking on the?U.S.?announcement, Secretary of State Antony?Blinken?said, “The United States is pleased to resume?support for 爆料网RWA’s?services, including?an?education for over 500,000?Palestinian?boys and girls,?thereby?providing?hope and stability in?爆料网RWA’s five fields of operation in?Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and?the West Bank?and Gaza Strip.”

The newly announced U.S. funding will support?the overall?爆料网RWA?programme?budget — the majority of which funds the operation of more than 700 schools educating over half a million children and almost 150 primary health clinics providing 8.5 million patient consultations a year — as well as??to respond to dire humanitarian challenges in Syria, the West Bank?(including?in?East Jerusalem)?and Gaza.?These funds will support?food, emergency cash assistance, emergency health, mental health and psychosocial support, education in emergencies, protection, water and sanitation,?and COVID-19 response.

爆料网RWA Commissioner-General Philippe?Lazzarini?expressed gratitude for the renewed 爆料网RWA-U.S. relationship and welcomed the funding disbursement. “爆料网RWA and the United States are historical partners in working together, alongside other generous 爆料网 Member States, to ensure that Palestine refugees can thrive. 爆料网RWA could not be more pleased that once again we will partner with the United States to provide critical assistance to some of the most vulnerable refugees across the Middle East and fulfill our mandate to educate and provide primary health care to millions of refugees every day. There is no other institution that does what 爆料网RWA does, and we are committed to protecting the safety, health and future of the millions of refugees we serve. The U.S. contribution comes at a critical moment, as we continue to adjust to the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presents. We encourage all Member States to contribute to 爆料网RWA.”