UNRWA Advisory Commission Warned of Deepening Financial Crisis

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Ambassador Dr. Dawas Dawas, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestinian and Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Affairs, participated in the meeting of the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, amid escalating political, financial, and operational challenges facing the Agency.

During the sessions, Ambassador Dawas reaffirmed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) firm and consistent support for UNRWA, in line with its successive resolutions and positions. He stressed the importance of preserving the Agency's mandate, immunities, and privileges, highlighting its essential role under United Nations General Assembly resolutions. He further described UNRWA as a key international witness to the Nakba and a central mechanism for protecting the rights of Palestinian refugees.

In a statement delivered on behalf of OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, he urged member states and donors to fulfil their responsibilities by providing sustained political, legal, media, and financial support. He emphasised that such backing is critical to ensuring UNRWA can continue delivering essential services to Palestinian refugees inside and outside camps across its five fields of operation, particularly in the occupied city of Al-Quds.

The UNRWA Advisory Commission convenes periodically with participation from 29 member states, along with four observers: the State of Palestine, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, and the European Union. The meeting reviewed deteriorating conditions faced by Palestinian refugees, as well as the Agency's growing financial deficit and widening operational pressures across all areas of activity.