Safadi, UNRWA’s Lazzarini talk mobilising support to Palestinian refugees

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and the newly appointed UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini on Monday discussed joint efforts to provide the financial support necessary to enable UNRWA to continue its vital services to Palestinian refugees and to meet its call to urgently secure $14 million to face the coronavirus in communities of Palestinian refugees.

Safadi and Lazzarini reiterated the importance of the international community responding effectively to meet the financial needs of the UN agency, which is facing a severe financial crisis, especially as current funds are enough to meet its needs only through the end of May, according to a ministry statement.

Safadi and Lazzarini will continue discussing efforts to mobilise support via a trilateral teleconference with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde in mid-April, as Sweden is a basic partner in efforts to support UNRWA, the statement said.

Safadi stressed that supporting UNRWA and guaranteeing its financial welfare to help it sustain its duties towards refugees is an ongoing Jordanian effort under continuous directives by His Majesty King Abdullah.

The minister also called on the international community to bear its responsibilities towards the UN agency in light of “this difficult situation, under which it is facing further challenges due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic”, expressing gratitude for countries that offer assistance to UNRWA.

For his part, Lazzarini highlighted the role of the Kingdom, which is one of the largest hosts of Palestinian refugees, in its efforts to garner support for the agency.

Safadi and the UN official also agreed to sustain trilateral coordination between Jordan, Sweden and UNRWA, with the aim of mobilising international support to the UN agency to enable it to implement its mandate.