Arab foreign ministers stressed the need for UNRWA to continue to play its pivotal role, in meeting humanitarian needs of the Palestinian refugees, warning against compromising the agency's mandate or reducing its services, which will contribute to aggravation of the situation, in the Middle East. In a statement issued here today, at the end of their special session, to discuss the UNRWA crisis, the ministers emphasized that the agency's continued commitment to more than 5 million Palestinian refugees' needs, in the five areas of operations, as mandated by the UN, is an international political, legal and moral responsibility. Respect of the right of refugees to live in dignity and the right of more than 550,000 refugee children to go to school is to affirm, internationally, that the issue of Palestinian refugees is a final status issue that is resolved on the basis of the resolutions of international legitimacy, foremost of which is Resolution 194 and the Arab Peace Initiative, and to guarantee the rights for return and compensation. During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 150th session of the Council of Ministers, at the ministerial level, the ministers agreed to continue discussing the issue, in the light of the outcome of the international meeting called for by Jordan, in coordination with Egypt and Palestine, and in cooperation with Sweden, Germany, Japan and the European Union to take the necessary steps, to build upon the outcome of the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference on the Support of UNRWA, held in Rome, on 15 March 2018 and the political moves to ensure sustained financial support that ensures that the agency continuation to perform its tasks, in accordance with its mandate and mobilize political support to confirm this mandate. The ministers appreciated international stances in support of the work of the agency and expressed thanks to all countries that have provided financial support to the agency, so far, this year, which has raised about $200 million, in additional funding and reduced the fiscal deficit this year from about $417 million to $217 million, helping thus, to open schools and continue to provide services. Ministers' statement sent an explicit message that the world supports the continuation and role of UNRWA, as well as the emphasis on all life and political rights of the refugees. They also deplored the decision of the United States of America to stop supporting the agency and warned of the dangers of continuing such a deficit and exacerbating it, on the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian refugees.
