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7 April 2021<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Excellencies, dear friends,<\/p>\n I would like to thank the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for organizing this important event. Today is an opportunity for the international community to reaffirm your support for the rights of the Palestine refugees and mobilize political and financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).<\/p>\n I would also like to thank the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, and all the Agency staff for their tireless efforts and invaluable work, particularly in light of the increasingly difficult conditions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n For over seven decades, Palestine refugees have suffered great hardship. They have lost their homes, lands and means of livelihood. As affirmed by countless General Assembly Resolutions, resolving the situation of Palestine refugees is imperative for the achievement of justice and lasting peace in the region.<\/p>\n Despite many efforts, tragically nothing has changed. It is our shared responsibility to support Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict, on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, international law, and long-standing international parameters for the Middle East É«¿âTV Process, in order to end the occupation and achieve the vision of two independent, sovereign States living side by side, in peace and security, within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines. The international community must fulfil its legal and moral obligations.<\/p>\n UNRWA continues to play an essential role to alleviate the plight of the Palestine refugees. Today, UNRWA provides quality education to more than 530,000 students; it provides healthcare that includes more than 8.4 million annual patient visits; it assists in increasing livelihood opportunities, giving clients access to a total of more than 531 million US dollars of loans since 1991. Recently, UNRWA has played critical role to help to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19 throughout its areas of operation.<\/p>\n But UNRWA\u2019s role extends well beyond its humanitarian work. \u00a0The Agency is an important stabilizing factor and serves as a critical conflict prevention mechanism in a turbulent region.<\/p>\n Despite UNRWA\u2019s crucial and fundamental work, funding gaps continue. I am gravely concerned by UNRWA\u2019s critical financial situation, caused by its structural underfunding and by rising needs resulting from the pandemic\u2019s detrimental impact on socio-economic and humanitarian conditions. The financial crisis has severe negative consequences for the continued delivery of UNRWA\u2019s core programmes.<\/p>\n Yet today, UNRWA\u2019s cash flow levels are at their lowest in almost ten years. This is despite the pandemic and the regional political developments that have deepened the insecurity of Palestine refugees. These conditions can only serve to deepen the despair and sense of abandonment among Palestine refugees, which risks further destabilizing host countries and the region.<\/p>\n To make up critical shortfalls in funding, UNRWA issued an appeal for 1.5 billion US dollars. This funding will support the provision of essential services, emergency appeals and priority projects for Palestine refugees in 2021.<\/p>\n Sufficient, predictable and sustained funding is needed to ensure stability and security for Palestine refugees. I call on all governments, organizations and individuals to contribute generously. We must do our utmost to meet the Agency\u2019s anticipated needs, including those arising from conflicts and instability in the region, and the COVID-19 pandemic. We must support the Agency\u2019s capacity to uphold its mandate and avoid the serious humanitarian and security risks that would result from any interruption or suspension of UNRWA\u2019s vital work.<\/p>\n The question of Palestine is the longest standing issue on the UN agenda. The question of Palestine refugees is a final status issue to be negotiated between the parties in the context of the Middle East É«¿âTV Process. As President of the General Assembly, I have reiterated on numerous occasions that it is our collective responsibility to support Palestine refugees, pending a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Millions are counting on us. We need to prove that the UN is capable to deliver when it is needed. It is time for action now.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ custom_padding__hover=”|||” custom_padding=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ custom_padding__hover=”|||” custom_padding=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Video Message by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir \u2013 PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":342,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-240758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n