UK funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Motion Text

This House notes the UK’s decision to pause funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); further notes that UNRWA's services are primarily funded through contributions from UN member states, constituting around 93% of the agency’s funds; is concerned that UNRWA has warned that the decision by the UK and other countries to suspend funding will leave it unable to fund its aid operations in a matter of weeks; notes that UNRWA supports 5.9 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza and other countries including Syria, Lebanon and Jordan and employs 30,000 staff, 13,000 of whom work in Gaza; further notes the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza where over 2 million people are at imminent risk of famine and 152 UNRWA staff have been killed; notes UNRWA’s swift action to terminate the contracts of 12 employees following allegations of their involvement in the 7 October attack and launch an investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight, in addition to the appointment of an independent review group by the UN Secretary-General to assess how UNRWA ensures neutrality and responds to allegations of serious wrongdoing; further notes that other countries including Ireland, Norway, Belgium, Denmark and Spain continue to fund UNRWA in light of the agency’s swift disciplinary and investigative response; and calls on the UK Government to immediately re-instate funding for UNRWA given the disastrous humanitarian consequences that the pause in funding will have for people in Gaza and the wider region.