Kuwait donates $2m to UNRWA

The State of Kuwait donated Wednesday USD two million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a part of Kuwait's annual aid to the UN agency. Kuwaiti Ambassador to Amman Hamad Al-Duaij handed over the donation to the UNRWA's External Relations and Projects Officer Munir Manneh. The new sum takes the value of Kuwaiti donations to the UNRWA in 2013 up to USD 29 mln. "The donation shows the eagerness of Kuwaiti leadership, at the forefront of which His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on supporting and alleviating the sufferings of Palestinian people," Al-Duaij told KUNA. He added that "Kuwait has never hesitated to offer unlimited support to Palestinian people". Al-Duaij lauded the impressive role of the UNRWA in proving assistance to Palestinian people. For his part, UNRWA's Official Manneh greatly appreciated Kuwait's contributions and donations to the UN agency. He pointed out that Kuwait has donated USD 29 mln to the UNRWA this year, of which USD 15 mln directed to helping Palestinian refugees affected by the conflict in Syria and 12 for building seven schools in the Gaza Strip. The UNRWA provides assistance, protection and advocacy for some 5 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, pending a solution to their plight. The Agency's services encompass education, health care, relief, camp infrastructure and improvement, community support, microfinance and emergency response, including in times of armed conflict. It is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states.