UNRWA: Italy has provided EUR 3 million to support our activities in Palestine and Syria

Today, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Government of Italy signed an EUR 2 million agreement in support of Palestine refugee students in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

UNRWA reported that Italy will donate 3 million euros to support the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Syria and the West Bank in Palestine.

In a statement, UNRWA said that the agreement with the Italian government aims to support the activities of Palestine refugee students in the West Bank with a value of two million euros, stressing that “supporting the educational process in the West Bank will greatly contribute to supporting children and youth and developing their capabilities.”

UNRWA indicated that the project, funded by Italy, will provide a safe learning environment for 46,000 students in UNRWA schools in the West Bank.

It explained that the agreement between UNRWA and the Italian government will include support for 96 educational facilities affiliated with it, in addition to improve education services and promoting digital literacy among students.

The agency confirmed that this support comes as a supplement to the two million euros donated by Italy in favor of supporting health services and protecting Palestinian refugees in Syria.

The Italian support will provide health care services in 23 UNRWA health centers in Syria, according to UNRWA.

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Filipio Lazzarini, had said earlier, “The current financial deficit will cause a real threat to the organization’s activities in the coming year.”

Lazzarini added that the deficit in the organization is due to the donor countries’ regression in their commitments to support the UNRWA budget.

It is noteworthy that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees provides its services to about 5.7 million Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.