Secretary-General Welcomes Canada’s Donation in Support of Palestine Refugee Agency’s Social Services, Humanitarian Programmes

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement today by the Government of Canada that it was resuming support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) by donating Can$25 million for the essential health, education, relief and social services and humanitarian programmes that the Agency undertakes for the benefit of 5.3 million Palestine refugees.

The Secretary-General stated that, at a time of great instability in the Middle East, Canada’s generous donation will assist UNRWA in its efforts to ensure that vital human development and humanitarian services continue to be delivered to vulnerable Palestine refugees.

The Secretary-General takes this occasion to underline once again that UNRWA should receive sufficient funding from the international community to carry out its activities effectively and in a predictable manner until a just and lasting solution is found to the underlying conflict.