James Cleverly MP, State Secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, visited on Wednesday residents of Jalazone refugee camp for Palestine Refugees, near Ramallah, on his first official visit to the occupied Palestinian territory.

Cleverly met with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. He also met with girls and boys - members of the UNRWA Student Parliament - where students spoke about their role in schools and with local communities.

UNRWA briefed the Foreign Secretary on key protection issues Palestine Refugees face in the camp, other parts of the West Bank and the Agency’s work, including on key services like education and health.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said, “On my visit to Jalazone refugee camp today, I have seen first-hand the impact of UNRWA’s work supporting Palestinian refugees in the West Bank. UK funding is helping to support millions Palestinian refugees across the region with vital health.”

Last month, UNRWA received GBP 10 million (US$ 12.74 million) from the United Kingdom (UK) towards the Agency’s “Programme Budget”, critical to the delivery of basic services and salaries for frontline workers and staff. The UK also confirmed that it will respond to the Agency’s urgent financial challenges with an additional GBP 10 million (US $ 12.74 million), to be made available in the run up to the High-Level week of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said: “I am grateful for the additional funding that the UK is providing, reemphasizing the decades-long close partnership between the UK and UNRWA. The Agency’s services, including the delivery of education to over half a million children, are more critical than ever given the unprecedented challenges Palestine Refugees are facing.”

In 2022, the UK provided GBP 18.7 million (US$ 21.2 million), which included GBP 13 million (US$ 14.3 million) to the programme budget and GBP 5.7 million (US$ 6.8 million) to the UNRWA oPt Emergency Appeal for cash for work and food security.

UNRWA works to enrich its Education Programme including through the delivery of human rights education. Launched in 1999, the human rights programme aims to promote non-violence, communication skills, peaceful conflict-resolution, human rights, tolerance, and good citizenship.