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A/58/13 United Nations Report of the Commissioner- General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East 1 July 2002-30 June 2003 General Assembly Official Records Fifty-eighth Session Supplement No. 13 (A/58/13) General Assembly Official Records Fifty-eighth Session Supplement No. 13 (A/58/13) Report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East 1 July 2002-30 June 2003 United Nations • New York, 2003 A/58/13 Note Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations document. ISSN 0082-8386 Contents Chapter Paragraphs Page Abbreviations................................................................... v Letter of transmittal.............................................................. vi Letter dated 25 September 2003 from the Chairperson of the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East addressed to the Commissioner-General of the Agency ......................................... viii I. Overview ............................................................ 1–41 1 II. General developments in Agency programmes.............................. 42–116 12 A. Education........................................................ 42–63 12 B. Health........................................................... 64–78 19 C. Relief and social services ........................................... 79–92 26 D. Microfinance and microenterprise programme .......................... 93–103 32 E. Fund-raising activities ............................................. 104 35 F. Emergency appeals ................................................ 105–107 35 G. Projects ......................................................... 108–110 37 H. Peace Implementation Programme ................................... 111–113 38 I. Lebanon appeal ................................................... 114–116 38 III. Financial matters ...................................................... 117–138 40 A. Fund structure .................................................... 117–122 40 B. Budget, income and expenditure ..................................... 123–130 40 C. Non-regular budget activities........................................ 131–134 42 D. Current financial situation .......................................... 135–138 42 IV. Legal matters ......................................................... 139–180 44 A. Agency staff...................................................... 139–154 44 B. Agency services and premises ....................................... 155–174 51 C. Other matters..................................................... 175–180 60 V. Jordan ............................................................... 181–196 63 A. Education........................................................ 181–186 63 B. Health........................................................... 187–189 63 iii C. Relief and social services ........................................... 190–196 64 VI. Lebanon ............................................................. 197–216 67 A. Education........................................................ 197–203 67 B. Health........................................................... 204–207 68 C. Relief and social services ........................................... 208–216 68 VII. Syrian Arab Republic .................................................. 217–232 71 A. Education........................................................ 217–220 71 B. Health........................................................... 221–224 71 C. Relief and social services ........................................... 225–232 72 VIII. West Bank ........................................................... 233–252 75 A. Education........................................................ 233–238 75 B. Health........................................................... 239–244 76 C. Relief and social services ........................................... 245–252 77 IX. Gaza Strip ........................................................... 253–269 80 A. Education........................................................ 253–257 80 B. Health........................................................... 258–261 81 C. Relief and social services ........................................... 262–269 82 Annexes I. Statistical and financial information tables ........................................... 85 II. Pertinent records of the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies ............... 98 iv Abbreviations ACABQ Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions CBO Community-based organization CRC Community rehabilitation centre DTC Damascus training centre EC European Community ESF Educational science faculty GTC Gaza training centre NGO Non-governmental organization PA Palestinian Authority PIP Peace Implementation Programme PLO Palestine Liberation Organization RMTC Ramallah men’s training centre (West Bank) RWTC Ramallah women’s training centre (West Bank) SGL Solidarity-group lending SHC Special hardship case STC Siblin training centre UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNSCO United Nations Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories UNTSO United Nations Truce Supervision Organization VTC Vocational training centre WHO World Health Organization WPC Women’s programme centre WSTC Wadi Seer training centre v Letter of transmittal 25 September 2003 I have the honour to submit to the General Assembly my annual report on the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for the period 1 July 2002-30 June 2003, in compliance with the request contained in paragraph 21 of General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 and with paragraph 8 of General Assembly resolution 1315 (XIII) of 12 December 1958. In chapter I, an overview of events and developments in the region is provided, with reference to UNRWA’s five fields of operations in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, as well as a description of the funding situation that UNRWA faced during the reporting period. Chapter II covers general developments in the education, health, relief and social services, and microfinance and microenterprise programmes of the Agency, and in its fund-raising activities, emergency appeals, and project activities. Chapter III covers financial matters, including income and expenditure for the regular budget and the projects and emergency budgets, non-regular-budget activities, and the Agency’s current financial situation. Chapter IV deals with legal matters, in particular those relating to Agency staff, services and premises, as well as constraints affecting Agency operations. Chapter V provides information on UNRWA operations and its main programmes in the Jordan field, while chapter VI deals with the Lebanon field, chapter VII with the Syrian Arab Republic field, chapter VIII with the West Bank field, and chapter IX with the Gaza field. Annex I provides statistical and financial information regarding the Palestine refugees and Agency programmes, finances and staff. Annex II refers to pertinent records of the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies. Following established practice, the annual report in draft form was distributed in advance to the ten members of the Advisory Commission, whose relevant comments and observations were given careful consideration. The draft report was discussed with the Commission at a meeting held in Amman on 25 September 2003. The views of the Commission are contained in a letter addressed to me from the Chairperson of the Advisory Commission. A copy of the letter follows. President of the General Assembly United Nations New York vi I have maintained the practice of showing my report in draft form to representatives of the Government of Israel, and giving due consideration to their comments. Pursuant to General Assembly decision 48/417 of 10 December 1993 that the Advisory Commission establish a working relationship with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a representative of the PLO attended the meeting of the Commission on 25 September 2003 and a copy of the draft report was shared with him. (Signed) Peter Hansen Commissioner-General United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East vii Letter dated 25 September 2003 from the Chairperson of the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East addressed to the Commissioner-General of the Agency At its regular session, on 25 September 2003, the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) considered your draft annual report on the Agency’s activities and operations during the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, which is to be submitted to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session. The Commission noted with concern the continuing deterioration in the political, economic and social situation, including the escalation of armed attacks during the reporting period. It expressed deep