On 19th May 2020 India provides 2 million USD (Rs 15 crore) to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to support the Palestinian refugees for its programmes and services like education and healthcare in the COVID-19 situation.
Key Points:
i.India has increased the annual contribution to the UNRWA from 1.25 million USD(Rs.9.45 crore) to 5 million USD (Rs. 37 crore)in 2019 and promised another 5 million USD(Rs. 37 crore) for 2020 this opens an opportunity for India to become a member of the agency’s advisory commission.
ii.The UNRWA supports the Palestinians who fled and were expelled from their homes during the war in 1948.
iii.The UNRWA provides health care for around 3.1 million refugees of Palestine and every year the schools of the agency provides education to 5,26,000 students in which 50% are female.
iv.India’s support will support the agency to operate on its basic services during the challenges of COVID-19 situation and this advancing payment of India will support in addressing the cash flow challenges of the agency.
v.The Indian mission in the West bank stated that India is preparing medical supplies for the Palestinians to support them to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
vi.Under India-Palestine development partnership 17 agreements are signed in the fields of agriculture, health care, information technology, youth affairs, consular affairs, women empowerment and media in the past five years.
vii.Around 72 million(Rs. 544 crore) USD are promised to provide assistance through these agreements for the projects like post 2014 war reconstruction efforts in Gaza, construction of 5 schools, centre of excellence for information and communication technologies at Al-Quds University and satellite centre in Ramallah.
About UNRWA:
Commissioner General- Philippe Lazzarini (Under Secretary General of United Nations)
Members of Advisory Commission- Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.
Headquarters- Amman and Gaza
Created in- December 1949
