Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday that her country will resume funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), nearly two months after funding was suspended.
Wong explained that Australia had consulted with UNRWA and other donor countries, and was satisfied with the additional guarantees that had been put in place, adding that about six million Australian dollars ($3.9 million) in funding would be provided immediately.
Wong said, in a press conference, “There are children and families who are starving and we have the ability, along with the international community, to help them. We know that UNRWA is central and essential in providing this aid.”
Australia and several countries suspended funding to the United Nations agency last January, in response to Israeli allegations against 12 employees working for UNRWA.
Sweden, Canada and the European Union have resumed funding to some extent.
Last week, the agency's commissioner general, Philippe Lazzarini, expressed "cautious optimism" about the decision of "a number of donors" to resume funding the agency "in the next few weeks."
شارك برأيك
Australia announces the resumption of funding for UNRWA