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UN Special Envoy for Syria Press conference 20 March 2022
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10:50
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MP4
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684.3 MB

Edited News , Press Conferences | UNITED NATIONS

Funding Appeal 2023 - UNRWA 24 January 2023

ENG

 

STORY: UNRWA Funding Appeal 2023

TRT: 2’35

SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SOUND: NATS/ENG/FR

RELEASED: 24 January 2023

SHOTLIST

 

  1. Exterior wide, UN flag alley, UN Geneva.
  2. Wide, speakers, seated, in front of UN backdrop.
  3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): “We act in reality as a Minister of Education, a Minister of Primary Health, a Minister of Municipalities, a Ministry of Social Services for this extraordinarily vulnerable group of Palestinian refugees.”
  4. Close: TV camera viewfinder showing Mr. Lazzarini, who is also to rear of shot.
  5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): “We are also providing emergency humanitarian assistance and hence my appeal this morning for a total of $1.6 billion.”
  6. Medium: journalists seated and taking photographs with mobile phones.
  7. SOUNDBITE (FRENCH) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): « Pendant trois ans avant cette année, on a eu un budget ‘zero growth’, qui est resté au même niveau. Evidemment, ça ne couvre pas tous les besoins et ça a force l’agence de mettre en place des mesures d’austerité. Et l’austerité arrive à un coût très élevé, parce que aujourd’hui, par exemple, on a régulièrement jusqu’à 50 enfants pour un enseignant par classe. »
  8. Close, participants following press conference.
  9. SOUNDBITE (FRENCH) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): « Si on regard au niveau des consultations médicales aujourd’hui, en moyenne on aura donné sept millions de consultations médicales en 2022 ; en moyenne un docteur ne passe pas plus de trois minutes avec un patient. Donc évidemment c’est un peu rapide là aussi. »
  10. Close, journalists watching proceedings.
  11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): “We have seen increased poverty in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, which is more than 90 per cent, there has been a stiff increase compared to previous assessments, which means again, we are the only lifeline for this community.”
  12. Medium, panel of speakers in foreground, participants to rear.
  13. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): “The same happened in Gaza, in Gaza, we have more than one million people who are also dependent on our food assistance.”
  14. Close, fountain pen making handwritten notes on pad.
  15. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): “I thought that they had reached rock bottom some time ago, but I discover each time that this misery people are confronted with is getting worse and worse.”
  16. Medium, photographer preparing to take photo.
  17. Wide, speakers seated at table in front of UN backdrop.
  18. Medium-wide, TV cameras in foreground with speakers to rear.

Palestinian refugees hitting ‘rock bottom’, warns UNRWA in $1.6 billion funding appeal

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) appealed on Tuesday for $1.6 billion to fund core operations this year, as the people it helps face hitting “rock bottom”.

Head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, told journalists in Geneva that competing global crises, and skyrocketing levels of poverty and unemployment among Palestine refugees have put immense strain on them - and the agency, which started the year some $70 million in arrears.

“On the one hand we are asked to deliver public-like services to one of the most under-privileged communities in the region. We obviously are a UN agency (and) abide by UN values, but in reality we are funded like an NGO, meaning that we depend on voluntary funding from Member States.”

Most Palestine refugees now live below the poverty line and many depend on humanitarian assistance, including cash and food, from UNRWA.

“I thought that they had reached rock bottom some time ago, but I discover each time that this misery people are confronted with is getting worse and worse,” the UNRWA Commissioner-General said, of his recent visit to meet Palestinian refugees in Syria. “I witnessed first-hand indescribable suffering and despair.”

The desperate situation of Syria’s Palestine refugees is mirrored in Lebanon and Gaza. “Many told me that all they asked for was a life of dignity, that’s not much to ask for,” the Commissioner-General explained.

“We have seen increased poverty in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon…there has been a stiff increase compared to previous assessments, which means again, we are the only lifeline for this community. The same happened in Gaza; in Gaza, we have more than one million people who are also dependent on our food assistance.”

Highlighting the vast scope of UNRWA’s work, Mr. Lazzarini explained that the agency provided services, much as a small government would. “We act in reality as a Minister of Education, a Minister of Primary Health, a Minister of Municipalities, a Ministry of Social Services for this extraordinarily vulnerable group of Palestinian refugees,” he said.

“We are also providing emergency humanitarian assistance and hence my appeal this morning for a total of $1.6 billion.”

Amid chronic funding shortfalls, UNRWA has expanded e-health access and telemedicine and launched a digital learning platform. “In the last three years, we had a ‘zero growth’ budget, which stayed at the same level,” Mr. Lazzarini said. “Obviously, it didn’t meet all our needs, and that forced the agency to put in place austerity measures. And austerity comes at a cost; today, for instance, we regularly have up to 50 children per teacher attending class.”

Similarly tough conditions apply in health care provided by UNRWA, which provided seven million medical consultations in 2022. “On average, the doctor spent no more than three minutes with each patient, so it’s a bit quick, too,” the Commissioner-General said.

UNRWA’s 2023 appeal for $1.6 billion includes $848 million for core services including health, education, relief, social services and protection. Another $781.6 million is required for emergency operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

ends 

Teleprompter
[Other language spoken]
Grateful again if you're joining us online that your login reflects your name and your media organisation.
A reminder that the Constitutional Committee is meeting off site this week, so media materials of arrivals and convenience will be provided daily by Eunice.
The Special Envoy and the Co Chairs have usually opted to separately update the media at the conclusion of the week on Friday.
I will confirm this and provide times for you later in the week.
The Special Envoy joins us now and has time for a few remarks, a few questions following his remarks.
[Other language spoken]
Let me start by emphasising in the obvious and that is that Syria remains one of the gravest crises in the world and that there is a clear need for progress towards a political solution.
I'm pleased that the Syrian LED Syrian armed UN facilitated small body of the Constitutional Committee is meeting for the 7th session this week.
As you will recall, the Constitutional Committee consists of the large body, 150 persons, 50 from the government, 50 from the opposition and 50 from civil society.
The small body is then represented by 15 members nominated by the government, 15 members nominated by the opposition and 15 members of the civil society group, what we call the middle 3rd.
As I said, they have met 7 times and it's no more than or close to 2 1/2 years since we had the first meeting.
I will not prejudge the outcome of the decision, but as Jennifer said, I will try to provide you with an update of the work when the week concludes.
I was pleased to meet jointly with the two Co chairs this morning with the Co chairs nominated by the government and the Co chair nominated by the opposition SNC.
In that meeting we agreed also that we should meet later in the day with civil society delegation and I just left that meeting after we had a good meeting together with the coaches and with the 15 representatives of the middle 3rd.
And in the meeting with the two coaches we went through the agenda for the week.
We agreed on which 4 principles or titles that shall be discussed during the week and I will mention those 4 principles to you so that you have an idea of that.
It's what the 1st is basics of governance, the second is state identity, the third is state symbols, and the 4th is structure and functions of public authorities.
And we will spend one day on each principle.
And I think Java, you made sure that we have the correct Arabic translation.
[Other language spoken]
As you may or may not recall, during the last session in October, the two Co chairs noted that the committee needed to improve the work of the last day of the session.
They said that they wanted to have a better mechanism when it comes to revisions of proposed proposed constitution text and there is no an agreement with the two Co chairs on how this should be done.
And I'm looking forward to see them on Friday.
Hope this will be put into practise as you.
Let me just remind you what is the mandate of the constitutional committee?
It's to prepare and draught for popular approval a constitutional reform, and as the mandate or the terms of references that may be through an amendment of the current Constitution or draught a new constitution.
I have consistently said that the committee should work in a way that builds trust and confidence.
And during this session, I hope to see the Constitution Committee work with a sense of seriousness and purpose and determination to make progress that the situation demands.
[Other language spoken]
If there are any questions, could you please raise your hand online?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I just wanted to ask, do you see any sort of signs of optimism of, of positive outcomes from from this week's meeting?
I know that sometimes you've been frustrated previous meetings, but yeah, do you see signs of, of optimism, a bit more optimism this time?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Listen, let me be careful by stating whether there are grounds for optimism or not.
I think if we do, you know, if if the three delegations do what they have said they will do, I I hope that we can see some some steady, steady progress.
But you know, I learned that through the six previous rounds of talks that seeing you on Sunday, I should not prejudge the outcome of the discussion.
But I should emphasise that I had good meetings with the two Co chairs in preparation for this meeting.
And I've had a good meeting with all the 15 members of the Middle 3rd and you know, hopefully, Anne, as to what I would call the businesslike meeting we had with the two Co chairs earlier today.
Hopefully that will make it possible for us to make progress through this week.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yes, good afternoon.
Thank you very much.
I would like last meeting as you mentioned was in October and now is March, 5 months later.
And I, I, I, I wonder if we can assume that there have been many difficulties to, to get together the delegations.
And I would like you to explain as much as you can, what has been these difficulties to to take so long to to get this, this meeting.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, the, the reason for that is, is clear it, it has been, you know, what we agreed in October was that we needed to agree on a mechanism for how to improve the work on the last day of the constitutional committee.
And that has taken a little bit of time.
I have been travelling to Damascus to meet with the government and the government nominated Co chair and I've been travelling to meet with the opposition and the SNC and these things takes a bit of time.
But in the end we now have an understanding for how we are going to proceed also on the last day that is on Friday.
So that's the reason for why the work has been delayed.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Good afternoon, Jennifer, and thank you very much.
It's really good to see you yet again.
[Other language spoken]
Sorry, just wait a second.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Going to.
See the members the.
[Other language spoken]
Of the.
Opposition present here, particularly the representative of the Moscow before in in order to determine the this round of talk and the next talks.
This means that you have no reasons you.
[Other language spoken]
Factors that enable you to to determine and hold his rounds to my.
[Other language spoken]
Like to have the same results as in the previous failed rounds.
[Other language spoken]
The same failure for the.
[Other language spoken]
So what are the reasons are the international factors?
And also.
Factors from the opposition and from Syria that will push you to hold this.
Round and the next round.
[Other language spoken]
Just to confirm, I believe your question was asking about some difficulties in convening the session and the members that would be present during this seventh session.
[Other language spoken]
I'm frankly, I'm not sure I got the whole question, but let me just say that the reason why we are meeting now is, of course, that the Syrian parties themselves wanted to have the meeting, agreed to have a meeting, and that they have managed to come to an understanding that we agreed on, that we needed to solve during the last round of talks here in Geneva in October, as I said to the previous speaker.
So, you know, we will then hopefully when I meet you on Friday, we will be able to see whether we have made progress or not.
But as I said, let me not prejudge the work that Syrians themselves will be doing this week.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you all for joining us.
And again, I'll update you on the Times on Friday regarding Mr Peterson's remarks and any availability of the Co chairs.
Thank you very much.