Qatar affirms continued support to Palestinians

Qatar affirmed its continued support to the brotherly Palestinian people until they enjoy their inalienable rights, as well as its support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to fulfil its important mandate. Addressing the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly on item 54: UNRWA, Deputy Permanent Representative of Qatar Jassim Sayar al-Maawda said UNRWA is one of the oldest, largest and most important United Nations’ agencies, which reflects the basic need of millions of registered Palestine refugees.

The State of Qatar affirmed its continued support to the brotherly Palestinian people until they enjoy their inalienable rights, as well as its support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to fulfil its important mandate, QNA reported from New York. Addressing the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly on item 54: UNRWA, Deputy Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar Jassim Sayar al-Maawda said UNRWA is one of the oldest, largest and most important United Nations’ agencies, which reflects the basic need of millions of registered Palestine refugees. UNRWA’s vital role provides them with the necessary protection and support in the face of the challenges they face. These challenges will continue as long as the plight of the Palestinian refugees exists and until reaching a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian question, including the right of return for refugees in accordance with relevant UN resolutions, in particular the General Assembly resolution No 194 of 1948. Al-Maawda added that the number of Palestinians dependent on the services provided by UNRWA in accordance with its mandate under the relevant General Assembly resolutions exceeded 5mn registered refugees in the Occupied Palestinian territory, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. These services meet the minimum needs necessary to enable refugees to overcome the difficulties they face, to enjoy basic human rights, human development and an adequate standard of living, through the agency’s comprehensive activities in the areas of basic healthcare, basic and secondary education, food, shelter, relief and social services. He noted that it was clear from UNRWA’s annual report that it was carrying out its important mandate in the face of obstacles and difficulties, in particular the difficulties resulting from the chronic funding gap affecting the agency’s programme budget, the agency’s operational activities and the effectiveness of its core services in all vital areas. Therefore, ensuring sustainable funding for the agency is critical, while at the same time it is necessary to raise efficiency and to improve the use of available resources. As part of the State of Qatar’s responsibility and participation in bearing the financial burden of the United Nations and its agencies, it has raised the level of its contribution to UNRWA’s programme budget to support its activities and programmes, particularly in the field of education and the construction and rehabilitation of schools, al-Maawda said, noting that the State of Qatar announced at the Extraordinary Rome Conference a $50mn donation for UNRWA.