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<p>The UK is a longstanding supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA) voting to renew the agency's mandate until June 2026, providing essential
humanitarian support to Palestinian refugees across its five zones of operation. Our
annual contribution to their programme budget helps UNRWA provide education to over
533,000 children a year (half of them girls), and access to health services for 3.5
million Palestinian refugees. Given the impact of the global pandemic on the economy
and public finances, the UK moved to a target of spending 0.5 per cent of GNI on Official
Development Assistance (ODA) in 2021. This was a difficult - but temporary - decision
and the then Chancellor indicated during his budget speech on 27th October 2021 that
the UK is currently on track to return to 0.7 per cent of GNI spend on ODA by financial
year 2024/25. We are aware of UNRWA's immediate financial challenges and have pledged
£10 million to UNRWA for this financial year. I, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon as
The Minister of State for the Middle East, frequently raise UNRWA's financial situation
with Middle East and North Africa regional partners at ministerial level, and the
Minister of State for Development and Africa has also raised this with with Dr. Abdullah
Al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of KSRelief at the Riyadh humanitarian forum in February.
To that end, the UK government is working with UNRWA and other international donors
to help ensure its continued financial viability.</p>
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