A financial shortage in the UNRWA budget

Asaad Abd El-Rahman, the official for the refugee issue in the Palestinian Liberation Organization depicted the financial status of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as very difficult, saying that the host countries for the refugees and the Palestinian camps are living in anxiety due to the financial shortage of the agency, which negatively reflects on the services presented to the refugees which in the first place suffer a shortage.

In a statement to the Jordanian newspaper al-Dustour today Abd El-Rahman said the annual budget of UNRWA agency for this year is $360 million, among which are $80 million is specified for projects.

He said that this number is the agency's budget for the coming year with no increase, that the financial status of the agency is difficult and that there is a need for $59 million for the current year and $65 million for the coming year.

He said that if the donor countries did not implement their commitments, things would be more difficult.