UNRWA: Finance

(asked on 19th March 2024) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to reinstate funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and, if so, when.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 4th April 2024

The UK provided £35 million to UNRWA this financial year, including an uplift of £16 million for the Gaza humanitarian response, all of which was disbursed before the recent allegations came to light. No more British funding is due this financial year and we have paused any future funding of UNRWA. I met with Commissioner-General Phillipe Lazzarini on 4 April to discuss the steps they are taking in response to the interim findings.

We want UNRWA to give detailed undertakings about changes in personnel, policy and precedents to ensure this can never happen again. We are working with allies to try to bring this situation to a rapid conclusion - not least because UNRWA have a vital role to play in providing aid and services in Gaza.

We are aware that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services and Catherine Colonna have now provided their interim reports to the UN Secretary-General.

Our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, including through other UN agencies and British charities.

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