said the US State Department spokesman, Ned Price, on Tuesday, that the resumption of US financial aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) conditional on reforming the agency, which has long been accused of mismanagement and corruption.
Price said in response to a question in his daily press conference, April 20, 2021, about US and non-American forces complaining about the re-financing of the agency before reforming it, “We spoke to this when we announced our resumption of funding to UNRWA two weeks ago, and I made the broader point at that time that when we participate And when we return to the table, the United States can have an impact, and if we did not do so, we would have remained outside the circle of influence, "highlighting the United States taking similar steps with the World Health Organization on the first day of President Joe Biden´s administration," and we announced our return as a As an observer at the Human Rights Council, we announced our intention to seek a seat in the Council from now on, as well as the Paris Agreement, in addition to a number of other international bodies and institutions. "
Price explained that this is true of UNRWA as well, “since in our communications with UNRWA prior to the announcement, UNRWA made firm commitments to the United States on issues of transparency, accountability and impartiality in all of its operations.” And that "commitment to neutrality includes zero tolerance of racism, discrimination and anti-Semitism."
The head of the UNRWA Commission, General Philip Lazzarini, who was appointed last year, has expressed his total commitment to the same principles.
Price confirmed that the administration plans in the coming months to negotiate a new framework with UNRWA in which the principles of transparency, accountability and neutrality will be reaffirmed.
He said, "The point made it clear when we were talking about re-engaging with UNRWA two weeks ago, that the relationship with UNRWA remained in place when the United States did not support it, as the United States was involved under the previous administration in the first two months of this administration, but we were not at the table." By restoring support and reaffirming our support for UNRWA, we have now returned to the table. ”Thus, the United States is in a position to secure these commitments from the UNRWA leadership, and is in a position to ensure that these commitments are respected. We enable us to hold the Commissioner-General of UNRWA accountable for these commitments because we are now back at the table.
With our seat at the table being restored, along with some of our key allies and partners, many of whom are major donors - including Japan, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom and the European Union - we will once again have an advocacy position so that our assistance is used in ways that not only meet our interests, but are aligned. With our values. "
"Perhaps it is fair to say to those who say that the United States has not secured any kind of commitment from UNRWA on these core issues such as accountability, transparency and impartiality, they are simply wrong. We have very strong commitments, and we will make them tougher in the coming months," Price added. .
"Al-Quds" had learned on Monday that the US State Department said that the "Baqaa" camp, located in the north of the Jordanian capital, Amman, would be its first stop in the resumption of American humanitarian relief provided to the Palestinians, as the Biden administration would begin granting about $ 150 million to the United Nations agency. For Palestinian Refugees Relief and Works (UNRWA), to support health, education and housing for Palestinian refugees throughout the region.
The "Baqaa" camp, with a population of 100,000, is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in the world.
