Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, stressed the vital role played by the UN Agency for Palestine refugees and called for increasing support to the Agency pending a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian refugee plight.
 

“Since the establishment in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), has provided lifeline support to Palestine refugees, which now stand at 5.6 million people”, said UNGA President.

“The Agency’s mandate was most recently renewed last year through this Committee. And pending a just and lasting solution to the plight of Palestine refugees, UNRWA’s services in areas such as education, healthcare, protection, relief, infrastructure, camp improvement and emergency response will remain vital”, he stated. 

Bozkir stressed that recurrent financial gaps is a source of concern. “UNRWA needs predictable and sustained funding to ensure stability and security for Palestine refugees. I encourage you to give to this voluntary fund generously and consistently”.

“Achieving peace in the Middle East has been on the UN’s agenda since its creation”, said Bozkir. “After more than seven decades, resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains key to sustainable peace in the Middle East”.

“The United Nations must continue to support Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict on the basis of United Nations, international law and bilateral agreements and realizing the vision of two States living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines”, he added.

The UN official also said that the work of the 4th Committee is very important in this regard as it plays a critical role in keeping this conflict and the plight of the Palestinians on the international agenda and your efforts help to fulfill the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including to self-determination and independence.