Statement by H.E. Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, Special Representative of H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, and Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, before UNRWA 65th Anniversary High-Level Conference: Sustaining Human Development and Protecting Rights of Palestine Refugees, 2 June 2015, New York

I am honored to represent H.E. President Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, at this High-Level Conference.  I thank H.E. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his keynote statement and firm support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East – UNRWA.  We also express our thanks to the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Mr. Pierre Krähenbühl, for his statement and for chairing this important Conference.

I also express appreciation to H.E. Mr. Christos Stylianides, European Union Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, and H.E. Mr. Hans Dahlgren, State Secretary for Foreign and EU Affairs to the Prime Minister of Sweden for their presences on this occasion, and to all delegations joining us here today. [Read more…]