Al Bureij Refuge Camp Gaza City - Children unloading relief aid from UNRWA
Photo Fady Adwan PalestineFreeVoice Images
August 9 2010
AMMAN -- The representative of the UNRWA commissioner general Peter Ford said Monday, that the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) “is currently living in intensive care, as it faces a deficit of $85 million that may force it to close its schools and health and social centers.”
This announcement came during the signing of an agreement by the Gaddafi International Charity & Development Foundation in the Jordanian capital Amman to hand over $50 million to UNRWA to reconstruct 1,250 homes in the Gaza Strip. The charity made another $500,000 pledge to feed 110,000 refugees in Gaza during the month of Ramadan.
In statements following the signing, Ford warned that if donors do not help to fill the gap, the agency would be forced to close schools and health centers in Gaza and other areas until funds are once again available.
UNRWA needs the support of Arab and non-Arab donors for the agency's basic education and health care programs, the UN official said, appealing to Arab donors for additional contribution in the agency’s core budget to help avoid the disaster of school closures.
Ford highlighted that there are more than 12,000 refugees in Gaza waiting for reconstruction of their homes, living in rented houses, with relatives, or in tents.
Ford has held Israel responsible for the non-arrival of relief aid provided by Libya, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Japan, and other countries.
© PalestineFreeVoice Copyright reserved 2003 - 2011
Intellectual Rights Retained
No comments:
Post a Comment