Conflicts
UNHCR chief: release money for Palestinian aid organization
UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi is concerned about a decline in humanitarian aid. photo
© Salvatore Di Nolfi/KEYSTONE/dpa
Despite massive accusations against the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees is calling for payments to be resumed. It cannot be replaced.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has called for payments to be resumed to the criticized UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
“The sooner decisions are made about continuing or resuming financing, the better for the lives of millions of people,” the Italian told the German Press Agency on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The situation is devastating for the people of Gaza.
The Israeli government accuses UNRWA of being involved in Hamas’ terrorist activities. Several Western countries therefore temporarily stopped payments to the aid organization, including the two largest donors, the USA and Germany.
Guterres promises comprehensive information
UNRWA fulfills an important task that, for various reasons, cannot be taken on by anyone else, especially not by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), emphasized Grandi, who himself was head of the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees from 2010 to 2014. “UNRWA has a very specific way of working, not only in the humanitarian field, but in running schools and health centers for millions of Palestinians.”
Israel’s Defense Minister, Joav Galant, only confirmed the allegations on Friday. Accordingly, more than 30 UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas massacre in Israel. UN Secretary General António Guterres promised comprehensive information. The collaboration with several employees has been terminated.
UNHCR chief concerned about decline in humanitarian aid
Grandi also commented on the situation of refugees around the world. In addition to the rhetoric of pushback by many politicians, he is also concerned about the decline in financial support for humanitarian causes: “Last year, in 2023, my organization received a billion dollars less from its donors than the year before. And we had many more crises than the year before “Lamented Grandi.
If this trend continues, it will have consequences primarily for people who have not fled to Europe, North America or other rich countries. “And then they will have an incentive to move on,” Grandi said. He emphasized that 90 percent of all refugees worldwide are in poor countries.