Maldives increases annual aid to UNRWA to USD50,000

The Government of Maldives has decided to increase its annual funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), an organisation dedicated to Palestinian refugees, to USD 50,000 (MVR 77,000).

Maldives' Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ali Naseer Mohammed made the announcement at the 'UNRWA Pledge Conference' held at the UN headquarters on Friday. UNRWA was previously paid USD 5,000 a year by the Maldivian government.

Over USD 1.29 million raised from the national telethon titled ‘Dhivehin with Palestine' initiated by President Mohammed Muizzu will be donated to Palestine through UNRWA, Ali Naseer said.

From the telethon, the funds raised were:

Ali Naseer highlighted the important work and leading role UNRWA is playing in providing basic services and emergency assistance to the Palestinian people. He called on the international community to increase the financial assistance needed to further these efforts.

The government’s decision to increase aid to UNRWA is followed by several countries suspending aid to the organisation following allegations that UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas attacks on Israel last October. However, it turned out to be a false accusation and some countries have now resumed aid.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently called on countries not to stop providing aid to UNRWA.