Netherlands donates USD 21.6 mn to UNRWA

The Dutch government has donated USD 21.6 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), it was announced here Tuesday . UNRWA said in a statement that the Dutch government has made a donation this year of USD 15.9 million to the agency's core programming as well as a donation of USD 5.7 million in response to UNRWA’s 2012 Emergency Appeal for the occupied Palestinian territory. The statement said that the donation to UNRWA’s core budget will support the Agency’s education programme including reforms aimed at improving quality and its impact on almost half a million refugee children. In addition, it will fund reforms in UNRWA's health programme and support regular relief, infrastructure and camp improvement initiatives. The Dutch contribution to UNRWA’s 2012 Emergency Appeal will support emergency programming in the West Bank and Gaza, which aims to mitigate the effects on refugees of the deteriorating socio-economic and security situation.