RCA, UNRWA join hands to aid Palestinian refugees

Abu Dhabi, April 3, 2011 (WAM) - The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has commended humanitarian initiatives launched by the UAE under instructions of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for alleviating suffering of the Palestinian people.
The Commissioner-General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Filippo Grandi, has also expressed gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, and President of the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA), for his efforts towards improving the living conditions of Palestinians inside Palestine and at refugee camps in some Arab countries. He lauded Sheikh Hamdan's initiatives as significant contributor to mobilising support and assistance for refugee issues.
The UN official has made his remarks during a meeting with RCA Chairman Ahmed Al Mazrouie that took place on the sideline of the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid '&' Development Conference (DIHAD).
While reviewing progress of RCA-funded and UNRWA-supervised development projects inside Palestine and at refugee camps, the two humanitarian agencies affirmed their determination to advance their constructive partnership to ensure better future for Palestinian refugees.
The UNRWA chief presented to the RCA a group of new proposed projects in areas of housing, health and education with hope that the RCA would contribute to their implementation as part of its mission of supporting the Palestinian people to overcome the current circumstances.
He indicated that the RCA swift response in the Palestinian scene is contributing substantially in meeting urgent and pressing requirements of the Palestinian people.
He termed the RCA development projects in Palestine as a shining spot in its honourable record of humanitarian achievements.
He explained that he himself touched the vast impact of the RCA projects in improving the living conditions in Palestinian provinces.
He said that UNRWA is looking forward for broader partnership and cooperation with the RCA for the best interest of the Palestinian people.
For his part, the RCA official said that RCA has embodied the vision of the UAE leadership towards Palestine in a slew of humanitarian and development projects worth so far Dh810 million.
He added that RCA-UNRWA agreements had enabled both sides to boost their joint field operations that had made a qualitative leap in services provided to refugees in different vital sectors.
The RCA and UNRWA have signed two cooperation agreements for construction of Palestinian refugees camps in Lebanon. Under the first agreement, 343 housing units will be built at Burj-el-Shamali refugee camp, while the second agreement calls for constructing 149 at Nahr el Bared refugee camp.
A third agreement will see the RCA and UNRWA building 140 housing units accommodating 670 refugees at el Nerab camp in Syria in addition to the establishment of a health centre serving 18,000 refugees. - Emirates News Agency, WAM