United Nations Relief and Works Agency For Palestine Refugees in the Near East ARAB DONORS’ UNIT UPDATE

The Arab Donors’ Unit Update (ADUU) is a bi- monthly publication from UNRWA’s External Relations Department (ERD) in Amman. The ADUU reports on UNRWA’s major initiatives and events of particular interest in the Arab world. It also summarizes the activities of our donors and their latest contributions to our various portfolios. The ADUU is intended for distribution to our donors, our Issue partner NGOs, other UN Agencies and departments as 1 well as UNRWA’s August – September Field and Area Offices. 2009 2 United Nations Relief and Works Agency For Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNRWA News supplies available despite the houses withthelimited building the poorto helpthemrepair their cash assistance for thepoorest of The alsoplansto Agency provide all unemployed refugees inGaza). refugees (i.e. around 60percent of jobs for approximately 55,000 holy month,UNRWA aimsto create todignity Gaza’s refugees inthis to restore aminimumstandard of year, andnotjustfood. anattempt In but through untiltheendof requirements notjustinRamadan The Appealhowever covered Ramadan. of refugees duringthemonth of lighten thelives ofthousands contributions helped UNRWA to the United ArabEmirates. These from organizations inKuwait and meals and cashto buy Ramadan generous contributions offood to theAppeal, UNRWA received poorest ofthepoor. response In creation andcashassistance for the were –andremain -for food, job needs identified UNRWAby theurgent their housesinGaza, living intents orintheruinsof With thousandsofrefugees still to theAgency. offundsavailable as by theshortage aswellhumanitarian crisisinGaza was prompted by thecontinuous million. The Appealfor fresh funds Appeal”“Gaza Ramadan for US$181 On August 17,UNRWA launcheda Appeal” Ramadan UNRWA Launches “Gaza 60 A ceremony UNRWA’s marking UNRWA’s 60 Holds Ceremony Marking UNRWA’s Jordan Field Office freedom ofmovement ofpeople. in bothdirections, andallowing the openingbordersthe siegeonGaza, by lifting and willonlybe, curtailed destitution andhopelessnesscan, facing many refugees. However, the of destitutionandhopelessness will mitigate thedownward spiral A generous response to thisAppeal including children andthesick. most vulnerablerefugee groups and healthfacilities, aimedatthe rehabilitation ofUNRWA education urgent needsarethe interim. Other rent andothervitalnecessities in andtoblockade, helpthemwith community tocommunity provide theAgency also urged theinternational deficit. The Commissioner General overcome itswideningbudget Agency’s generalfundto help donate more generously to the theGulfstates, to particularly General calledondonorcountries, the guests, theCommissioner herspeechto In Richard Cook. AbuZayd andDirector for Jordan Commissioner General, Karen countries, aswell asby UNRWA’s and dignitaries from of avariety was attended by ambassadors 16 Agency’s Jordan Field onthe Office th th ofSeptember. The ceremony washeldatthe Anniversary th Anniversary Anniversary commemorate the60 of events were heldinNew York to From 18-25September, 2009,aseries UNRWA’s its60 Marks the United ArabEmirates. Malaysia, Qatar, SaudiArabiaand countries suchasBrunei,Kuwait, and officials from MuslimandArab meetings withanumberofministers representative Peter Ford, held KoningAbuZayd,Karen andher UNRWA’s Commissioner General, the Palestine refugees themselves. standing refugee populationandto to theworld’s largest andlongest decades ofachievement andservice for UNRWA andpaidtribute to six governments pledgedsupport on September24 Levelwas aMinisterial Event The centerpiece oftheweek Columbia. academic debates inPrinceton and aswell as book, anniversary sixtieth the launchofacommemorative UN GeneralAssembly building, and banner to adornthefaçadeof the unveiling ofacommemorative forof Jordan for UNRWA, support by QueenRania HerRoyal Highness events includedaringing appeal of thecreation ofUNRWA. The Anniversary inNew Anniversary York Gaza andthe Gaza West Bank. UNRWA inJordan, Syria, Lebanon, refugees currently registered with needs ofthe4.6millionPalestine to respond to thegrowingsupport with thefinancialandpolitical th th atwhich Anniversary Anniversary th

Donors’ Visits

The International Islamic Visits UNRWA’s Field Office in Jordan

On August 12, the ERD Arab Donors’ Unit in Amman welcomed a delegation from the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) at UNRWA’s Field Office in Amman. The IICO delegation consisted of Dr. Farid Al Awadi, Deputy Director General of the IICO at its headquarters in Kuwait, Mr. Khalil Mohamad Hamad, General Supervisor of IICO’s regional office in Amman, and a project coordinator from IICO Amman.

The delegation was also met by Mr. Sven Berthelsen, Deputy Director of UNRWA Operations in Jordan, as well as by UNRWA chief field officers Dr. Mohammad Abbas, Dr. Ishtaiwi Abu-Zayed and Ms. Maha Rantisi.

Following presentations on UNRWA’s programmes and activities in Jordan, the delegation was taken on a field trip of the Beqaa camp. They visited the camp’s Information Office, an UNRWA school, a hospital, two shelters and a women’s centre.

UNRWA’s Headquarters in Amman Welcome a Delegation from the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent

On September 29, the ERD Arab Donors’ Unit of UNRWA in Amman welcomed a high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent (UAERC). The UAERC’s delegation consisted of Mr. Ahmad Humaid Al Mazrouie, Chairman of the UAERC, Mr. Mohamad Khalifah Ahmad Al-Qamzi, Secretary General, Dr. Saleh M. Al Tai, Deputy Secretary-General, Dr. Abdel Karim Bensiali, International Relations Consultant, and Mr. AbdulRahman H. Alhamed, Officer in Charge of Projects in Palestine. In a meeting with the Arab Donors’ Unit, the delegation was briefed about the status of ongoing projects funded by the UAERC. UNRWA’s Representative to the Commissioner General, Mr. Peter Ford, reiterated the Agency’s profound gratitude to the UAERC for its generous and continuous support to the Agency’s projects in UNRWA’s various areas of operation. The UAERC’s Chairman, Mr. Ahmad Humaid Al Mazrouie, reassured UNRWA of his organization’s desire to increase its partnership with UNRWA and of the Red Crescent’s strong commitment to alleviate the suffering of Palestine refugees.

3 4 United Nations Relief and Works Agency For Palestine Refugees in the Near East (approximately 36,880refugees). oil, whichbenefited 7,376needyfamilies powdered cereals, milk, lentilsandcorn parcels composed ofwheatflour, rice, sugar, and distributionofmore than18,400food area, theFoundation fundedthepurchase same time, inthe West BankandJerusalem At the during theholymonthofRamadan. Organizations for 16consecutive days refugees through 21Community Based provision mealsto poor of123,921hotiftar theKBZFcontribution financedGaza, the Strip, the West BankandJerusalem.In food for Palestine refugees intheGaza Nehayan (KBZF)donated BinZayed theKhalifa Al of Ramadan, On theoccasion oftheholymonth Occasion ofRamadan and West BankRefugeesonthe Donates Food for Poor Gaza BinZayedThe Khalifa Foundation Donors’ Contributions The which commenced project, atfullspeedonAugust 23 bread to Palestine refugee families. US$261,966 to UNRWA to finance several bakeriesacrossGaza Stripinorder the to distribute free With theKuwait theadvent RedCrescent (KRCS) hasdonated oftheholymonthRamadan, Society Refugees Assistance to Gazan Truckloads ofFood US$261,966 Donates Society The Kuwait RedCrescent in Gaza, whichproceededin Gaza, to distribute themto theneediest refugees duringthe monthofRamadan. andgenerous contribution. kind thegoodstoThe UNRWA Jordanian transported Hashemite Representative ofUNRWA, oftheCommissioner-General Peter Ford, whothankedtheKRCSfor their FaisalJordan, Sheikh al-Sabah ceremonially al-Hamoudal-Malak presented the14truckloadsto 10,000 food parcels arrived attheJHCO on19August. headquarters The Kuwaiti Ambassadorto to theJordanfamilies inGaza Organization Hashemite (JHCO) Charity inAmman. The truckscarrying The 300tons KRCSalsodelivered offood assistance 14truckscarrying intended for needy refugee distributed duringtheentire monthofRamadan. recipients atnumerous distributionpointssetupacross theStrip. willcontinue toThese be packages and UNRWA officials. of bread bearingthenameandlogoofKRCS Packages were doledout to and14 medical services andcashhelpfor thepoorest.medical services the provision offood, , emergency emergency the sufferingGaza’s of destitute refugees through magnificent donation. The donationwillhelpalleviate to theAmir, government andpeopleofKuwait for this AbuZayd expressed theAgency’s profound gratitude UNRWA’s Koning Karen Commissioner-General Appeal.including mostrecently Ramadan theGaza its requirements andissuerenewed appealsfor funding, assault anditsreverberations UNRWA hashadto revise Israeli aggression Dueto theseverity ofthe onGaza. original flashappealissuedinthefirst days ofthelatest amount wasmeantto cover theentirety ofUNRWA’s Arab Economic SummitheldinKuwait inJanuary, the largest Arabdonationto date. pledgedatthe Initially SabahAl-AhmedAl-Sabah. Sheikh This donationisthe million USDollarsfrom Highness theAmirofKuwait, His July,In UNRWA received agenerous donationof34 from Kuwait for Refugees Gaza UNRWA Receives US$34 Million Dollars US$34 Million rd , waswelcomed by bothPalestine refugees

Palestinian Students and Micro-Enterprises Benefit from the Malaysia Pledges OPEC Fund for International Development’s Donations $250,000 for Gaza’s Refugees The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has generously donated US$1.2 million in support of the “Scholarship Fund for Talented In a meeting with Palestinians”, an initiative created to mark the 60th Anniversary of UNRWA. Commissioner-General Karen This initiative will provide scholarship opportunities to Palestinian students Koning AbuZayd held as from the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and refugee camps in neighbouring part of the series of events countries. These scholarships will enable refugee students from the region commemorating UNRWA’s to pursue higher education in recognized academic institutions in the sixtieth anniversary organized Middle East and internationally. in New York (see article above), Malaysian Foreign OFID contributed a further US$ 3 million to the OPEC Fund Micro Enterprises Minister Datuk Anifah Aman for Palestine (PalFund). The Fund is a microfinance scheme administered by announced a $250,000 pledge UNRWA. It supports the Palestinian private sector by extending small loans towards the Gaza Ramadan to productive and qualified micro-entrepreneurs and artisans, thereby Appeal. This generous pledge contributing to job creation and income growth. PalFund was established marks the Federation of in June 2004 with an initial contribution of US$ 2.5 million. In December Malaysia’s first donation 2005, and on the basis of successful outcomes, OFID extended a second towards an Emergency Appeal contribution of US$7.5 million to this Fund. The latest contribution thus launched by the Agency. brings OFID’s total PalFund contribution to US$ 10 million. Malaysia is among a number of Asian countries recently US$25 Million demonstrating interest in The Saudi Fund for Development Donates for UNRWA and its humanitarian the Reconstruction of the Nahr el-Bared Camp efforts for Palestine refugees in the Middle East. In response The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has generously pledged US$25 million to to the Agency’s launch of UNRWA, for the reconstruction of the Nahr el-Bared camp in North Lebanon. the Gaza Appeal in late January, India and Vietnam In a ceremony held on 5 May in Amman, UNRWA Commissioner-General made notable contributions Karen Koning AbuZayd and Engineer Youssef Al-Bassam, Vice Chairman of $1 million and $200,000 and Managing Director of the Saudi Fund, signed the donation agreement. respectively for relief efforts in the Gaza Strip. The reconstruction work of Nahr el-Bared camp will be split into eight packages. Construction work in the first package is expected to start While in New York, AbuZayd soon. The contribution of the Saudi Fund will complete financing for the and her delegation also had reconstruction of the infrastructure and the housing units of the second the honour of meeting the package, thus enabling around 500 displaced families to return to their Foreign Minister of Brunei, newly-reconstructed houses and businesses in the camp, while the balance Prince Mohamed Bolkiah. will be used for subsequent packages yet to be decided. The Agency looks forwards to strengthening relations with Brunei.

Representative of the Commissioner-General, Peter Ford, who accompanied AbuZayd in New York last week, welcomed Malaysia’s intended donation: “We are so pleased with the Federation’s initiative and look forward to our continued cooperation. We hope other countries in the region will follow Malaysia’s example and demonstrate their commitment to alleviating the humanitarian conditions of Palestine refugees”.

5 6 United Nations Relief and Works Agency For Palestine Refugees in the Near East Commissioner General, Mr. Peter Ford. aswell astheRepresentativeAhmad Al-Qamzi, ofUNRWA’s Mr.Mazrouie, andSecretary-General, Khalifah Mohamad presence oftheUAERC’s Chairman,Mr. AhmadHumaidAl organization’s generous contribution to UNRWA. of the YAL, Mr. andthankedhimfor Assem his Kabesh, Commissioner General, Mr. Peter Ford, metwith theDirector a recent tripto theUAE, theRepresentative ofUNRWA’s equip &furnishtwo UNRWA Strip. schoolsintheGaza In Feeding School Program;Supplementary andto rehabilitate, for Gaza. the The contribution willbeusedto support Young ArabLeaders (YAL) donated US$236,319to UNRWA Leaders UNRWA Receives aDonation from Young Arab 28 the donationwasheldinAmmanonSeptember crossing. StripviatheRafah Gaza Aceremony announcing the Egyptian authorities, theambulances willenter the Gaza. With assistance from theEgyptian RedCrescent and The UAERC willalsodonate 10ambulances to UNRWA in UNRWA’s Field Gaza. in Office September. Allgoods were delivered to therefugees by with flour, sugarandrice enteredGaza atthebeginning of donationsentfrom Egypt. in-kind The firsttrucksloaded poor refugees duringthisholymonth,andamajor inGaza US$100,000 incashfor to theAgency provide hotmealsto Appeal withseveral generous contributions consisting of first organization to respond UNRWA’sto Ramadan Gaza The United ArabEmirates RedCrescent (UAERC) wasthe Donations AppealwithCash andIn-Kind Ramadan Gaza The UAE’s RedCrescent Respondsto the Society Nuha Hammoud. Programme,Services andProject Leila Field Kaissi Officer, Lebanon and, from UNRWA, theChiefField ReliefandSocial attended by HEAliAwad Al-Ussairy, SaudiAmbassadorto to announce thedonationwasheldon26August 2009and intended for Palestine refugees inLebanon. Asmallceremony in Lebanon. The donationwasmadeby SaudiArabiaand 13.5 tons ofdates arrived to UNRWA’s Central Warehouse On August 222009,acontainer of40feet loadedwith Palestine RefugeesinLebanon Saudi ArabiaDonates university fees ofthecamp’s poorest refugees. camp in2007. WAMY’s generous contribution willcover the their homesanddwellings following ofthe thedestruction on refugees from theNahrel-Bared camp, whohave lost Bared students. This donationaimsto minimize theburden pledged US$30,000to cover theuniversity fees ofNahrel- July,In the World Association ofMuslim Youth (WAMY) Bared WAMY Gives US$30,000 13.5 Tons ofDates to StudentsofNahrel- to to th inthe Stories from the Field Gaza’s Children Set Kite Flying World Record

On 30 July 2009, thousands of children in the Gaza Strip attempted to set a new world record by flying colourful homemade kites on the sandy beaches of Beit Lahyia. This initiative was part of UNRWA’s Summer Games programme providing fun, games and some remedial education for about a quarter of a million children in Gaza.

Although the Guinness Book of World Records was unable to send a judge to the attempt due to travel restrictions into Gaza, in September 2009, it officially notified UNRWA that the attempt by the children of Gaza to achieve a new world record for the largest number of kites flown simultaneously has been successful. In a letter of congratulation, the Guinness Book of World Records informed the Agency that the new record of 3,170 kites has been approved. The previous record was 967.

A delighted UNRWA Commissioner General, Karen AbuZayd, said “This shows what the children of Gaza can do. They would be world record breakers in so many ways if they lived in an environment that gave them the freedom to reach their full potential.”

7 ARAB DONORS’ UNIT EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT UNRWA HEADQUARTERS – AMMAN

Telephone: + 962 6 580 8511

Fax: +962 6 580 8176

www..org www.unrwaat60.org