Press Releases

Assistant Secretary Welch Announces $50 million U.S. government contribution to UNRWA to serve Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza

7/14/2006

Press Release
July 14, 2006
Jerusalem

For Immediate Release

In conjunction with his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs David Welch announced that the U.S. government has made a voluntary contribution of $50.85 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East’s (UNRWA) 2006 Emergency Appeal for the 1.8 million Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and Gaza. This contribution is part of the United States’ Humanitarian Assistance and Democracy Building Program for the Palestinian people as announced by the Secretary of State on April 7.

Chief Palestinian Negotiator and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Saeb Erekat, spoke on behalf of President Abbas. UNRWA Commissioner General Karen Abu Zayd also attended.

The $50 million voluntary contribution comes in addition to a $84.15 million contribution the U.S. government made in May 2006 to UNRWA’s 2006 General Fund for its education, health, and social programs in its five fields of operation (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip).

The U.S. contribution will enable UNRWA to provide emergency food parcels to 1.2 million refugees, create temporary jobs for over 100,000 unemployed refugees, and provide 69,400 of the most impoverished families with modest cash assistance to puchase basic necessities. It will also support five mobile health units and five fixed health stations in the West Bank to alleviate the effects of closures on the health status of Palestinians.

The United States is UNRWA’s largest bilateral donor. In 2005 the United States contributed $88 million to UNRWA’s General Fund and another $20 million to its Emergency Appeal. Since 2000, on an average annual basis, the United States has provided 25 percent of UNRWA’s regular budget and 16 percent of its emergency requests.

For more information please contact the Consulate Press Office at 02-672-4802 or 02- 672-5283 or Public Affairs Officer Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm at 050-551-1632.