Funding shortfall hampers UN services for Palestine refugees: spokesman

Gaza (Palestine), October 11: A lack of 120 million U.S. dollars has affected the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to provide services this year, the agency warned on Sunday, calling for donations.
"UNRWA has a financial shortfall of approximately 120 million U.S. dollars, an amount that is necessary to meet the needs of Palestinian refugees in UNRWA's five areas of operation," Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA's media advisor in Gaza told reporters.
"Our services provided to refugees will be influenced if we don't receive the needed fund by the end of the year," he said, adding that the amount comprises 20 million dollars for October and 100 million dollars for November and December.
Since its establishment in 1949, UNRWA has been providing humanitarian services to 5.6 million Palestinian refugees who live in refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, in areas such as education, health care, relief social services and camp infrastructure.
Abu Hasna said that UNRWA is preparing to hold an international conference for donors in the Belgium capital Brussels in November under the sponsorship of Jordan and Sweden.
The agency "will present its vision to develop and modernize its programs for the coming years," he said, adding that 90 percent of UNRWA's budget is voluntary donations from donor countries, and the agency will demand multi-year financial pledges in case the crisis renews and exacerbates.
Source: Xinhua