India Gave the UN Agency a Cheque for $2.5 Million

India gave the UN agency a cheque for $2.5 million, the second installment of its pledged $5 million yearly support. This money will go directly to the organization's schools, health centers, and other basic services for Palestinian refugees.

On Monday, India gave the UN agency a cheque for $2.5 million, the second installment of its pledged $5 million yearly support. This money will go directly to the organization's schools, health centers, and other basic services for Palestinian refugees.

Since 2018, India has donated $22.5 million to the UNRWA, the agency that provides aid to Palestinian refugees in the Near East. UNRWA is a UN organization that aids Palestinian refugees' relief efforts and human development.

The Representative Office of India (ROI) in Ramallah released a statement saying, "The Government of India presented $2.5 million (second tranche of a total contribution of $5 million for the Financial Year 2022-2023) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in support of the Agency's core programmes and services, including education, healthcare, relief, and social services.

The statement continued, "The monetary contribution was presented to Ms. Xuran Wu, Associate Donor Relations and Projects Officer, Department of External Relations, UNRWA at the Representative Office of India in Ramallah, Palestine."

India will give $10 million US to UNRWA over the next two years, according to an announcement made by Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan during an Extraordinary Virtual Ministerial Pledging Conference for UNRWA on June 23, 2020. As more Palestinian refugees are registered, as their vulnerability grows, and as their poverty increases, UNRWA is seeing a rise in the demand for its services.

It is a United Nations organization that was created by the General Assembly in 1949 with the responsibility of providing aid and protection to the approximately 5.6 million Palestine refugees who have registered with UNRWA across its five operational fields. Its goal is to support the full human development of Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip while they wait for a just and long-lasting solution to their plight.

Services provided by UNRWA to Palestinian refugees include protection, microfinance, camp infrastructure and improvement, relief and social services, and education. India increased its annual financial contribution to the UNRWA core budget by four times, from $1.25 million to $5 million, during Narendra Modi's historic first visit as prime minister to Palestine in February 2018.

India has also strongly urged UNRWA's other long-time donors to think about increasing their support as well as member states who are not donors to think about giving to the organization in support of the Palestine refugees.

The Government of India has been expressed gratitude by UNRWA for its "unwavering support" in assisting the organization's efforts to support the general human development of the disadvantaged population during "the most difficult times."

"With this most recent donation, India has given UNRWA $5 million in total just this year. India's unwavering support of UNRWA's work on behalf of Palestinian refugees is greatly appreciated "According to Karim Amer, UNRWA's director of partnerships, PTI.

India has consistently donated to his organization's work over the years, especially during the most trying times, he said. Even during the pandemic, when the agency faced enormous challenges in maintaining its services, other agency officials told PTI that India "made good on its commitment."

Palestine has received assistance from India in the form of various forms of development cooperation totaling about US$141 million. India has committed to providing Palestine with development assistance worth US$ 70.6 million and quick impact projects worth US$ 197,030. In addition, India has given a total of US$ 26.5 million to UNRWA and US$ 39 million in budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority since 2009.

Along with other forms of assistance, we also supply Palestine with 25,000 doses of Co-vaxin in 2021 as part of our support. With 50 ICCR scholarships and 168 ITEC slots currently available, India has been increasing the number of training and scholarship opportunities available to Palestine. India also provided Palestine with a 50 million dollar line of credit in July 2021 to be used for sustainable development projects.

-- Riddhi Jain