The Government of Austria on Tuesday signed an agreement amounting to EUR 2 million with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in support of the Agency’s 2019 Syria Regional Crisis Emergency Appeal. 

This contribution from Austria will support UNRWA cash assistance program to the most vulnerable Palestine refugees in Syria and help ensure that over 20,000 Palestine refugees meet their basic needs. 

“We are grateful for our long-standing partnership with UNRWA as it gives us the certainty that humanitarian assistance is provided to Palestinian refugees who are in critical need of emergency support”, said Astrid Wein, Austrian Representative in Ramallah. Austria stands ready to help. Our assistance will help our partner UNRWA to meet the most pressing needs of Palestinian refugees in Syria during the current regional crisis.”

“In particular, we welcome UNRWA‘s emergency program, which provides a protective environment for Palestinian refugees by maintaining access to basic services including education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene as well as livelihoods,” stated Wein.

“On behalf of UNRWA, I thank the Austrian government for its generous support to UNRWA emergency operations in Syria, which will help tens of thousands of Palestine refugees affected by the conflict in Syria”, said Marc Lassouaoui, UNRWA Chief of Donor Relations.

“I also commend Austria for responding to the Agency’s call for increased support for core health, education, relief and social services. We are most grateful for the remarkable increase of Austria’s total contribution towards UNRWA in 2019, which has reached EUR 4.35 million this year,” added Lassouaoui.

Austria is a long-standing supporter of UNRWA and has provided a total of EUR 25 million in aid over the past 10 years.