tempo, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has pledged to increase its annual contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) by $1.2 million (approximately Rp 19.34 billion) as part of its continued support for the agency’s vital work in providing assistance to Palestine refugees.
“The Indonesian government has expressed a new commitment to increase its regular voluntary contributions by $1.2 million annually starting from 2024,” the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a written statement on Sunday, July 14.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Almanata Nasir, made the statement to the UN on July 12 at the UNRWA “Pledge Conference” at UN Headquarters in New York.
Furthermore, Indonesia promised grants US$2 million (approximately Rp 32.23 billion) to support UNRWA’s Emergency Appeal from April to December 2024. “Indonesia also expressed its determination to explore innovative financing for UNRWA, including a potential partnership with the Zakat Management Agency,” the ministry said.
At the event, Malaysia also increased its contribution to UNRWA, announcing an additional $1 million, bringing its total contribution to $5.2 million from November 2023 onwards. Malaysia had previously pledged $200,000 annually from 2021 to 2025.
Malaysia has also made significant contributions through the Palestinian Aid and Relief Fund for Palestinian People (AAKRP) supporting efforts in providing medical assistance, food aid, sanitation and access to water to the Palestinian people.
Representatives from 62 countries attended the conference and stressed the important role that UNRWA plays in supporting the Palestinian people and maintaining security in the region. They called for a ceasefire and de-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and urged Israel to stop obstructing UNRWA’s work in the Gaza Strip.
Established after the Palestinian Nakba of 1948, UNRWA continues to work to address unresolved issues in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The agency assists Palestinian refugees and their descendants displaced by 1948 and the subsequent conflict, and upholds the legal right of return for Palestinian refugees under international law.
The pledges from Indonesia and Malaysia are particularly significant given that some Western countries withdrew funding based on unfounded allegations against UNRWA staff. Most donors have since resumed support, but major countries such as the United States and Britain remain off the hook.
Al Mayadeen | Antara
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