UNRWA appeals to Gulf states to avoid funding crisis

Head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Pierre Krahenbuh, late Tuesday urged Gulf countries to donate millions to help the agency avoid a funding crisis.

In a press conference, Krahenbuh told reporters that that the three Gulf countries came to the rescue last year and he hoped they will "renew the generosity this year." "We’d be very appreciative to have countries that have come forward last summer to help, and in particular three Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, renew their generosity this year," UNRWA’s official said.

"If we could have that, we’d be able to avoid another crisis this summer",he added.

Last year, the agency was hit by a major funding crisis that threatened to affect the opening of schools, he said. An appeal by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to donors helped resolve the crisis, but the agency still has a funding gap of some $80 million.

Established in 1950, UNRWA helps some five million Palestinians living in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and in the Palestinian territories