FCDO fails to answer on when UK funding to UNWRA will be restored
30 April 2024
UNWRA is the main aid agency operating in the Gaza Strip and crucial to the delivery of aid there: before the current conflict, it acted in some ways more as a local authority, providing local services from education to refuse collection.
The World Health Organisation has confirmed in evidence to the Committee that, even as the second largest provider there, it could in no way compensate for gaps in health provision that would arise from de-funding UNWRA. But many countries, some of them among the biggest donors like the US and UK, paused funding for UNWRA after allegations that some of its staff may have been involved in the Hamas attacks of 7th October.
The FCDO committed to make a decision regarding future UK funding of UNWRA once the independent investigation launched into those allegations was concluded. That investigation has now reported, and other major donor Germany has announced its decision to resume funding.
But as correspondence between IDC Chair Sarah Champion and Foreign Secretary David Cameron published by the Committee today shows, the UK has still not announced if or when it will restore funding to enable UNWRA to continue its essential work and improve distribution of the aid that is badly needed to stave off the famine and disease taking hold in Gaza.
You can read the full exchange here:
- Correspondence to the Foreign Secretary relating to Funding for UNRWA - 25 April 2024
- Correspondence from the Foreign Secretary relating to Funding for UNRWA - 29 April 2024
Image: FCDO from Flickr