Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philip Lazzarini and the Agency's Strategic and Diplomatic Policy Adviser Ronald Steinger discussed with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh the unprecedented financial crisis affecting the Agency.

During the meeting, held on Thursday in Shtayyeh’s office in Ramallah, the Prime Minister briefed Lazzarini on the Palestinian efforts to mobilize the necessary funding for UNRWA in order to enable it to continue providing its basic services to the Palestinian refugees, especially in the areas of education, health, and emergency relief.

In a statement quoted by WAFA news agency, Shtayyeh briefed the UNRWA Commissioner-General on the government efforts in Palestinian refugee camps in line with UNRWA's endeavours to provide a decent life for the refugees, including the provision of infrastructure projects and boosting the budget of the popular committees in charge or running the camps’ municipal services.

"We are working jointly to ensure the continuity and sustainability of UNRWA's programs as an international institution that benefits more than 5.5 million Palestinian refugees, until a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue is found and the refugees return to their motherland," said Shtayyeh.

Lazzarini stressed the importance of continuous coordination with all Palestinian institutions to mobilize financial support for the continuation and sustainability of UNRWA's work.