RAMALLAH, Palestine, July 31 (NNN-XINHUA) – China, on Tuesday, signed an agreement with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to contribute one million U.S. dollars to the UN agency’s food programme in the Gaza Strip.
The deal was signed between Guo Wei, director of China’s Office to the State of Palestine, and Marc Lassouaoui, a senior official of UNRWA.
UNRWA hailed the agreement as a generous support by China, expressing gratitude for the financial support, in the light of the financial crisis it suffered, after the United States cut more than half of its aid.
Guo reiterated China’s unwavering position towards the support of Palestinian refugees, through bilateral and multilateral channels.
“In recent years, the Chinese government has increased its donation to UNRWA, and we also support Palestinian refugees through bilateral channels,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lassouaoui voiced his appreciation of China’s efforts, saying, the contribution, which has been “very strong and steadfast,” will offer great assistance to a large number of Gazans in need of food.
UNRWA has been suffering severe financial difficulties for several years, complaining about a budget deficit of 49 million dollars.
Palestinian officials said, the U.S. reduction of UNRWA funds comes, in line with the new policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, to ignore the final issues of the peace process, by removing the issues of Jerusalem and the refugees “off the table” and recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
UNRWA is running more than 700 schools serving some 525,000 children, and offering healthcare services to some 3.5 million refugees, through a network of 150 clinics.
In addition, the agency’s food and cash assistance programme offers some 1.7 million dollars to extremely vulnerable refugees.
Throughout the region, UNRWA serves over five million Palestinian refugees.
China has called for the international community to help UNRWA overcome its financial crisis, in order to uphold its obligations towards millions of refugees, who rely on the UNRWA services, particularly in the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian crisis deepens.– NNN-XINHUA
