Beirut, Lebanon
29 August 2014
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed today, between the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the World Food Programme (WFP) whereby both agencies will support cash for food assistance for Palestine refugees from Syria (PRS) in Lebanon. The signing ceremony was hosted by the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Mr. Derek Plumbly in his office in Yarzeh, and was attended by a number of ambassadors and heads of UN agencies in Lebanon.
Mr. Plumbly welcomed the generous contribution from WFP aimed at ensuring that PRS receive the food assistance they require. “This is an encouraging example of how cooperation among partners within and outside the UN system can help ease some of the suffering of the Palestinian Refugees from Syria. I hope donors will be inspired by it to help ensure that necessary assistance for vulnerable Palestinian refugees remains available for as long as it is needed.”
Director of UNRWA in Lebanon, Ms. Ann Dismorr, thanked the UN Special Coordinator for hosting the event and WFP for their generous contribution to ensure food security for PRS adding that “The PRS rely heavily on UNRWA’s services and are increasingly vulnerable especially since May when further restrictions were introduced and limited their freedom of movement. Furthermore, PRS have limited access to work in Lebanon and for many families, if not most, UNRWA’s cash assistance is the only source of income”.
On his part, WFP Country Director in Lebanon Mr. Imad Osman Saleh welcomed this new partnership between both agencies to serve the Palestinian refugees adding that: “we are confident that this cooperation will be fruitful and will lead to the improvement of the situation of the Palestinian communities from Syria, especially in terms of food security”. He concluded his remarks by highlighting the need for additional help to keep this assistance sustainable “Assisting refugees or any community in need would require concerted efforts so that we, hand in hand, feed the most vulnerable, with the help of funding agencies, individuals, governments or any funding entity that would kindly contribute to fighting hunger”
Under this agreement, WFP will provide UNRWA with up to 50% of the funds required to ensure that PRS in Lebanon are receiving food assistance through December 2014. The amount credited by UNRWA to PRS individuals is at the same rate as the WFP Regional EMOP, which is currently USD 30 per month.
Background information
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some five million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.
Financial support to UNRWA has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, expanding need, and deepening poverty. As a result, the Agency's General Fund (GF), supporting UNRWA’s core activities and 97 per cent reliant on voluntary contributions, has begun each year with a large projected deficit. Currently the deficit stands at US$ 54.3 million.
For more information, please contact:
UNRWA Public Information Office
Lebanon Field Office, Beirut
Tel: (+ 961 1) 840468
E-mail: Z.darkazally@unrwa.org
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