Guterres: UNRWA is indispensable and cannot be replaced
UN Secretary-General António Guterres affirmed that UNRWA is indispensable and cannot be replaced, during a ministerial meeting in New York. He called on member states to provide political and financial support to the agency, warning that its mandate and work are at risk amid exceptional pressures and Israeli attacks.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, during a ministerial meeting held at UN headquarters in New York, affirmed that the UNRWA agency is indispensable and cannot be replaced, calling on member states to provide political and financial support to the agency and protect its mandate. Guterres noted that the agency has been forced to operate under exceptional pressures, pointing to the killing of nearly 400 of its staff in Gaza since October 7, 2023, damage or destruction of hundreds of facilities, and the forced closure of its schools and health centers in East Jerusalem. He said that UNRWA's headquarters in Jerusalem was stormed and demolished, and that Israeli authorities stormed the Qalandia training center and seized it, describing these actions as unacceptable and contrary to international law. He added that the agency faces a political campaign aimed at undermining its work and depriving refugees of their rights, and faces a severe financial crisis with a cash deficit of about $100 million. The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Jordan, Spain, and Brazil, who affirmed their support for UNRWA and announced new donations.