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UNRWA: Financial Crisis May Affect Employee Salaries, Operational Projects

Palestinian employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). (Reuters)
Palestinian employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). (Reuters)
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UNRWA: Financial Crisis May Affect Employee Salaries, Operational Projects

Palestinian employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). (Reuters)
Palestinian employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). (Reuters)

Media Advisor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza Adnan Abu Hasna has warned against the effect of the financial shortfall on the agency’s operations.

Abu Hasna said that the agency’s financial crisis may impact its operational projects and employee salaries in November and December if it fails to mobilize the necessary fund during the UNRWA Pledging conference, which will be held on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on September 22.

He told reporters on Saturday that the Arab financial support to the UN agency reached $200 million in 2018.

“In 2021, the Arab financial aid to the agency declined to $20 million,” he noted, adding that the financial support in 2022 will be much less than the expected.

He voiced concern over repeating 2021’s scenario, especially in light of the financial deficit and the decline in support provided by Arab states.

Political changes in the region greatly affect the support provided to UNRWA, Abu Hasna affirmed, noting that donors are currently focusing on the Ukrainian crisis, in addition to the hike in prices of raw materials and the repercussions of the coronavirus crisis.

He expressed hope that the agency would be able to mobilize the required and enough financial support that would cover its financial deficit, which amounted to $100 million.

According to UNRWA, this deficit is exacerbating in the Gaza Strip, in light of the siege, the consequences of the political division, and the continuous wars, which raise unemployment rates.

The agency spends about 38% of its budget in the enclave, especially that the refugees there constitute about 20% of the population.

The UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, warned that the financial challenges could lead to the slow erosion of the quality of the agency’s services or to their interruption.

The agency has recently stated that it is facing the most threatening financial situation of its recent history.

“This financial crisis happens amidst global attention shifting elsewhere, and general fatigue from what is seen by some as an irritatingly long and unresolved conflict.”

UNRWA has been suffering financially for several years. The United States halted its support for the agency under former President Donald Trump before the current administration signed a framework agreement with it to restore US assistance programs.

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Arab World

Islamic Consensus in Istanbul on Need for Solidarity Against Israeli Escalation

A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)
A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)
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Islamic Consensus in Istanbul on Need for Solidarity Against Israeli Escalation

A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)
A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)

The 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Istanbul, witnessed a clear consensus among member states on the need for unity and solidarity in the face of Israel’s ongoing escalation. This comes amid continued international silence on the violations committed in Gaza and Israel’s expanding attacks into Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.
 
In his opening speech, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stated that the world’s silence on Israel’s aggressive policies in Palestine has only encouraged its regional expansion. He asserted that the coming period will see a “much greater role for the Islamic world, which must become an independent global power.”
 
Erdogan urged Islamic nations to overcome internal disputes and unite in defending their common causes. He warned that Netanyahu’s “Zionist ambitions” could push the world into catastrophe, likening the threat to that of Adolf Hitler, whose ambitions ignited World War II.
 
Regarding Iran, Erdogan stressed that defending oneself against Israeli attacks is a legitimate right, stating: “There is no difference between an attack on Tehran, Istanbul, Makkah, or Madinah - they share the same fate.”

He also warned against attempts to impose a “new Sykes-Picot” agreement on the region. He added that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worse than Nazi concentration camps, with over two million Palestinians struggling to survive under siege for nearly two years.
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who assumed the presidency of the session, warned that Israel is dragging the region to the brink of total catastrophe.
He stressed that the core issue is not about Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, or others. It is “an Israeli problem,” he said. He further called for a firm stance against the aggression and praised Egypt and Qatar for their ongoing efforts to mediate a ceasefire.
 
Fidan criticized the failure of international mechanisms, particularly the UN Security Council, in addressing the ongoing atrocities in Gaza.
 
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also condemned any targeting of nuclear facilities in Iran, warning of severe humanitarian and environmental consequences. He said that expanding the war will not bring peace and stressed the necessity of returning to diplomacy, referencing past successful negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
 
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi condemned Israel’s violations of international law and sovereignty in its attacks on Iran. He called for restraint, a return to diplomacy, and praised Oman’s mediation between the US and Iran.
 
Closed sessions were held in Istanbul to discuss developments in Gaza and Iran’s nuclear negotiations. A special Arab ministerial meeting also took place, denouncing the Israeli aggression against Iran and calling for urgent efforts to de-escalate.