State Secretary Olav Kjørven

Conditions for the Successful Management and Mobilisation of Resources on behalf of Palestine Refugees

UNRWA Conference on Meeting the Humanitarian Needs of the Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Building Partnerships in Support of UNRWA, Geneva 7 – 8 June 2004

Mr. Christian Leffler

Dear colleagues,

We are generally very pleased with the outcome of the work in Group IV, which we think would help UNRWA developing further to meet its huge challenges. Allow me, however, to make a few remarks about the topics covered in the Group:

I will focus particularly on the challenges that UNRWA is faced with in the occupied territories, recognizing the importance of UNRWAs work elsewhere in the region. I will also provide some comments on the issues under discussion that pertains generally to UNRWA as an organization.

The situation on the West Bank and in Gaza is grave. We are all aware of the dire humanitarian conditions of the Palestinians living under occupation. Refugees and non-refugees alike live in a permanent state of emergency and face closures, incursions, destruction and house demolitions. In this situation, refugees are particularly vulnerable. It is important for the international community, both as individual countries and through multilateral channels, to remind the occupying power of its responsibility under international humanitarian law to alleviate the suffering of the population in the occupied area. At the same time, it is essential to do everything possible to stop the cycle of violence, which hits and kills innocent civilians on both sides. The responsibility rests with the parties. But, the international community must engage, encourage, exert pressure and step up to the plate.

We regret that UNRWA continues to be under-funded. This is one of the reasons why this conference is so necessary and timely. In a time of scarce resources, we must make sure that there is a strategy to take advantage of synergies and co-ordination between all actors. This is especially important at a time when UNRWA is preparing a five-year Middle-term Plan. At the same time there is a clear need for additional resources. We urge all members of the international community to join in on the support to the Palestinian refugees.

UNRWA was created in 1949 as a pragmatic solution to a specific problem. Now, fifty-five years later, we have to accept that we will need UNRWA’s continued efforts, probably for a long time. UNRWA is no longer a temporary organisation, but will continue to exist until a political solution is found to the problem of Palestinian refugees. In the field of management, we are pleased to note the reform exercise that UNRWA has undertaken in recent years and are confident that it will bear fruit. The Agency, however, continues to suffer from the fact that it was created as a temporary body, with no Executive Committee or similar structure. As donors, we would like to see a more active relationship between UNRWA, host countries and donors in the formulation of policies and priorities. We know that this was a debated in workshops that took place yesterday.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend UNRWA and its staff for their efforts. Under difficult and sometimes very dangerous circumstances, the Agency has not only succeeded in its relief mission. Wherever possible, it has also, in co-operation with host countries, given Palestinian refugees whatever assistance and support they needed, so that they could become productive actors in the socio-economic life of their host country. This is a remarkable achievement, for which we congratulate UNRWA and its staff.

Thank you, Mr. President.