Jordan, UNRWA look forward to fruitful 2020

AMMAN — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi on Wednesday reaffirmed the established partnership between UNRWA and the Kingdom during a consultative meeting with UNRWA General-Commissioner Christian Saunders, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.  

During the meeting, Safadi and Saunders discussed steps to develop a joint work programme to communicate with international donors, secure the necessary funding for the agency’s 2020 budget and ensure the agency's ability to continue providing its "vital services" to Palestinian refugees.

The two officials also reviewed the agency’s financial situation for the current year and discussed ways to bridge the deficit remaining from the 2019 budget.

Safadi stressed the necessity of providing support to fill the funding gap, expressing hopes that the remainder of the supporting funds committed will be paid. 

Saunders expressed his appreciation for Jordanian efforts to mobilise international support for the agency under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, the statement added.

In his speech at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva on Tuesday, Safadi thanked the international community for its support for UNRWA.

He urged other nations to work to empower the agency and enable it to fulfill its UN mandate in serving more than 5 million Palestinian refugees. 

The General Assembly voted in favour of renewing UNRWA's mandate in December, with an overwhelming majority of 169 votes against two votes.

Safadi also discussed mobilising support for UNRWA on Wednesday with Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag during a meeting on the sidelines of the forum in Geneva. 

Safadi thanked the Dutch minister for her country’s decision to continue providing support to the agency. The Netherlands had previously frozen its funding to UNRWA due to an investigation into administrative violations, which ultimately found that the agency had not committed any financial violations.

The two ministers reaffirmed their countries' commitment to continue enhancing bilateral relations, especially in economic, development and investment fields.

They also discussed developments in the region, particularly issues related to the Palestinian cause and joint efforts to solve the Syrian crisis.