Archives for 07 November 2013

Statement by Ms. Feda Abdelhady-Nasser, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, before the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (4^th Committee),

Agenda Item 51: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), 6 November 2013:

~Check against delivery~

 Mr. Chair,

On behalf of the delegation of the State of Palestine, I wish to reaffirm our appreciation to you and your country, El Salvador, on chairing this important Committee, and our confidence in your ability and that of the esteemed Bureau Members from the countries of Lesotho, Cyprus, Italy and Slovakia – to successfully steer the Committee’s work this session.

Mr. Chair,

I thank the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Mr. Filippo Grandi, for presenting UNRWA’s annual report and briefing the Committee on the challenges faced by the Agency in the past year and the ongoing plight of the Palestine refugees.

I reaffirm the gratitude of the Palestinian people and the Government of the State of Palestine to UNRWA for all efforts upholding its humanitarian mission in service of the Palestine refugees, despite a most difficult operational environment and severe funding shortfalls that are undermining the Agency’s work. We renew our deep appreciation to Commissioner-General Grandi, Deputy Commissioner-General Margot Ellis, the Directors of Field Operations and the Agency’s entire staff, international and local, for their dedication to providing education, health care, relief, protection and emergency assistance to the Palestine refugees.  We also recognize the courage of the Agency’s staff, who often serve in conditions endangering their safety and yet remain the only UN staff in the area not entitled to hazard pay, an issue which must be rectified. [Read more…]