Delegates Support Proposed $4.98 Million Funding Increase for UN Palestine Refugee Agency as Fifth Committee Reviews Revised Budgetary Estimates for 2025
Delegates at the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today threw their support behind the Secretariat’s request for $4.98 million in additional funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in 2025 and called on Member States to step up their voluntary contributions.
In introducing the Secretariat report laying out the revised estimates, Maria Costa, Director of the Finance Division of the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, said the additional funds will help carry out more than four dozen recommendations included in the independent review conducted early this year of UNRWA’s mechanisms and procedures, which aim to ensure the Agency’s adherence to the humanitarian principle of neutrality.
The representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77, reaffirmed that “no organization can replace or substitute UNRWA's capacity and mandate to serve Palestine refugees and civilians in urgent need of life-saving humanitarian assistance”. He underscored the international community’s responsibility to support the Agency so it can carry out its indispensable operations. Emphasizing that any interruption or suspension would have severe humanitarian consequences for millions of Palestine refugees, he expressed deep concern about the Israeli Knesset’s recent legislative actions that aim to obstruct UNRWA’s operations, “which significantly hinder the Agency’s ability to fulfil its mandate”.
Echoing concern over the two bills recently adopted by the occupying Power to stop UNRWA's work in the occupied Palestinian territories, Algeria’s delegate said: “Such actions would not only hinder aid but could also cause a collapse of humanitarian efforts, exacerbating the already dire situation.”
Speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, the representative of Saudi Arabia also called on Member States to support UNRWA so it can deliver essential services such as healthcare, food and education to Palestinians. “It is facing unprecedented challenges with increasing needs and less resources,” he stressed. He noted the recommendations of the group that conducted the independent review and said the revised estimates of $4.98 million will increase the Agency’s capacity to meet increasing challenges, particularly in Gaza. He called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility to provide vital services.
Norway’s delegate said the revised estimates will help the Agency implement the 50 wide-ranging recommendations included in the independent review. “It is essential that UNRWA can continue its work,” she stressed.
Mexico’s delegate noted that the Agency’s mandate, established decades ago, remains more relevant than ever. “It is a cornerstone of the multilateral system,” he said, adding that his Government had recently contributed $1 million to the Agency.
As Chair of the Working Group on the Financing of UNRWA, the representative of Türkiye urged all Member States to increase their voluntary contributions. “The Agency has been facing extreme physical, operational and political challenges,” she said, adding that the defamation campaign against UNRWA has aggravated its already precarious financial situation. She commended the Agency for its swift and transparent measures to counter the allegations, including developing a high-level action plan to implement the independent review group’s recommendations. This year, Türkiye donated an additional $2 million to UNRWA, on top of its annual voluntary contribution of $10 million. “We will continue to support UNRWA’s vital work politically and financially until a political solution based on the two-State vision is realized,” she said.
Likewise, the representative of Syria expressed his delegation’s solidarity with UNRWA and condemned Israel’s flagrant violations of international law and relevant resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly.
Permanent Observer for State of Palestine Stresses UN Premises Must Be Respected, UNRWA Must Be Given Adequate, Predictable Funding
The Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine said that on 8 December, the international community will mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the establishment of UNRWA, pursuant to Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 1949. He reiterated the urgent call for accountability for the killing of Agency staff and reparations for the destruction of UNRWA facilities, which violate international humanitarian law and principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
“The United Nations' immunity of its premises must be unequivocally respected,” he added, calling on Israel to cease its systematic assaults on UNRWA premises and facilities. His delegation condemned Israeli legislation aimed to ban UNRWA operations and essential services to millions of Palestine refugees. Calling UNRWA a cornerstone of stability and a testament to the international community’s commitment to Palestinian refugees, he said the Agency “must be equipped with adequate and predictable funding to fulfil its mandate until a just, comprehensive and lasting solution is achieved”.
Representative of Israel Says UNRWA Employees Must Be Held Accountable
The representative of Israel said that according to the UN Secretariat report, there is a proposal to allocate nearly $3 million to implement the recommendations of the independent review. While recognizing the review’s importance and its recommendations, her delegation believes that there is a more reliable, effective and efficient way to implement its findings. The Secretariat proposes to create an additional 24 new posts. “But before the United Nations expands on the number of UNRWA posts, should we not first address the issue of the 100 UNRWA employees identified as being associated with the terrorist organization Hamas?” she asked.
To ensure proper implementation of the report’s recommendation, the 100 UNRWA employees would be held accountable and would be fired immediately. Her delegation is not questioning the critical need to support the Palestinians but wants to ensure the support is provided in a way that is “transparent, ethical and aligned with the values of this institution”, she said.
Secretariat Delivers Its Reports
Before delegates took the floor, Ms. Costa presented the Secretary-General’s report on revised estimates relating to the proposed programme budget for 2025 under section 26, Palestine refugees (document A/79/515). She said the Secretary-General, working with UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, commissioned an Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality (the “Independent Review”). The review issued 50 wide-ranging recommendations (“the Colonna report”) to further strengthen the adherence to neutrality, and UNRWA developed a comprehensive action plan to implement the recommendations, for which it would require additional resources.
In addition, UNRWA needs to strengthen its capacity to respond sustainably to increased and emerging needs in Gaza, particularly regarding education, health, and protection services provided to Palestine refugees in Gaza. To address these two critical priorities, additional resource requirements totalling $4.98 million are proposed for 29 additional posts under the regular budget (1 assistant-secretary-general, 9 P-5s, 11 P-4s and 8 P-3s) as well as seven geographical redeployments and non-post resources.
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) Weighs In with Related Report
Abdallah Bachar Bong, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), introduced that body’s eponymous report (document A/79/7/Add.25). Thanking all Member States and public and private sector donors for their contributions to UNRWA, he said the Advisory Committee trusts the Agency will continue its fundraising efforts to achieve sufficient, predictable and sustained levels of voluntary funding.
He said implementing some of the independent review group’s recommendations will have operational, financial and other implications that need to be addressed by the Assembly and/or UNRWA’s Advisory Commission. The Advisory Committee notes that some of the post and non-post proposals will be impacted by the recent two national laws adopted in Israel. Therefore, the Advisory Committee cannot make specific recommendations regarding the proposed resources, as the Assembly must decide.
The Advisory Committee considers that it is necessary to strengthen the Agency’s capacity to respond to increased and emerging needs, particularly in Gaza, he went on the say. It recommends the Assembly ask the Secretary-General to determine — more comprehensively, accurately and cost-efficiently — the related additional funding requirements from the regular budget and present a proposal during the first or second resumed session of the Assembly’s seventy-ninth session.
UMOJA/Enterprise Resource Planning Project Progress Report
Sunitha Korithiwada, Director of the Enterprise Resource Planning Solution Division of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, presented the Secretary-General’s report Progress on the functioning and development of the Umoja system (document A/79/391) and laid out the work accomplished under three core pillars of Umoja: the upgrading and maintaining of the Umoja systems, security and infrastructure; the advancement of Umoja Analytics; and the continuous improvement of Umoja applications.
She said the major upgrade of Umoja Enhancement Package 8, the primary focus since mid-2022, was successfully completed in April 2024 as planned. The report also provides details on other elements, such as the conference hosted by the Secretariat of the annual meeting of the Enterprise Resource Planning Special Interest Group, the total cost of ownership and a summary update on the recommendations of oversight bodies.
Mr. Bong, who presented ACABQ’s related report (document A/79/7/Add.24), said the Advisory Committee notes that the project’s current projected costs to 2030 are estimated at $1.52 million, an increase of $2.3 million over the previous progress report. Regarding the financing model for the Umoja system, the Advisory Committee notes that a revised proposal from the Secretary-General is pending after completion of a comprehensive review of the support account, as requested by Assembly resolution 77/304. The Advisory Committee considers that Umoja’s financing model should be kept under continuous review based on the Organization’s financial situation, he said.
NEW – Follow real-time meetings coverage on our LIVE blog.