Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
A/RES/73/94
conditions and the conflicts and rising instability in the region and their significant
negative impact on the ability of the Agency to deliver essential services to the
Palestine refugees, including its emergency, recovery, reconstruction and
development programmes in all fields of operation,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the operations of the
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, 3
submitted pursuant to resolution 71/93 of 6 December 2016, and the request contained
therein for broad consultations to explore all ways and means, including through
voluntary and assessed contributions, to ensure that the Agency’s funding is
sufficient, predictable and sustained for the duration of its mandate, and considering
the recommendations contained in the report,
Taking note also of the report of 30 June 2017 of the Commissioner-General,
submitted pursuant to paragraph 57 of the report of the Secretary-General and in
follow-up to the update to the special report of 3 August 2015 of the CommissionerGeneral, 4 submitted pursuant to paragraph 21 of General Assembly resolution
302 (IV), regarding the severe financial crisis of the Agency and the negative
implications for the continued delivery of core Agency programmes to the Palestine
refugees in all fields of operation,
Expressing appreciation for the efforts of donors and host countries to respond
to the Agency’s unprecedented financial crisis, including through generous,
additional contributions and, where possible, continued increases in voluntary
contributions, while acknowledging the steadfast support of all other donors to the
Agency,
Noting that contributions have not been predictable enough or sufficient to meet
growing needs and remedy the persistent shortfalls, which have been exacerbated in
2018 by the suspension of the single largest voluntary contribution to the Agency,
undermining the Agency’s operations and efforts to promote human development and
meet Palestine refugees’ basic needs, and stressing the need for further efforts to
comprehensively address the recurrent funding shortfalls affecting the Agency ’s
operations,
Recognizing the Agency’s extensive efforts to rapidly develop innovative and
diversified ways to address its financial shortfall and mobilize resources, including
through the expansion of the donor base and partnerships with international financial
institutions, the private sector and civil society, including through special initiatives
such as the “Dignity is priceless” campaign,
Commending the Agency for the measures taken to address the financial crisis,
despite difficult operational circumstances, including through the implementation of
the medium-term strategy for 2016–2021 and various internal measures to contain
expenditures, reduce operational and administrative costs, maximize the use of
resources and reduce the funding shortfalls, and expressing profound concern that,
despite such measures, the Agency’s programme budget, which is funded primarily
by voluntary contributions from Member States and intergovernmental organizations,
faces persistent shortfalls that are increasingly threatening the delivery of the
Agency’s core programmes of assistance to the Palestine refugees,
Encouraging the Agency to sustain those reform efforts, while also taking all
possible measures to protect and improve the quality of access to and the delivery of
core programmes of assistance,
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4
2/10
A/71/849.
A/70/272, annex.
18-21412