Palestinian refugees conference opens in Amman

The annual conference for main donor and host countries for Palestinian refugees started deliberations in Amman with the participation of some 26 countries for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East UNRWA.

The conference will discuss two reports: The first pertains to UNRWA's financial condition, and the second relates to programs and services rendered by the UN agency for some 3.5 million Palestinian refugees.

UNRWA's commissioner-general Peter Hansen expressed hope that the agency will be able to make the donors commit themselves to ensuring the sums necessary to continue their services in various fields of work, especially health and education.

Hansen called on the participants in the conference to help the agency overcome its economic crisis and its budget deficit. The Palestinian host countries are Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority.