Japan Ambassador to Jordan visits UNRWA School and Health Centre in Amman New Camp
The Ambassador of Japan to Jordan, H.E. Kaoru Shimazaki, visited an United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) school and health centre in Amman New Camp (ANC) today. He met with Palestine refugees and Agency staff. The Japanese delegation was welcomed by Acting Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan Mr. Olaf Becker and Acting Director of UNRWA Directorate at the Department of Palestinian Affairs, Ms. Heba Al Ma’ani.
H.E. Shimazaki met with Mr. Becker who conveyed the Agency’s appreciation to the Government of Japan for its financial and political support to Palestine refugees. The delegation then UNRWA Amman New Camp Preparatory Girls’ School students, as well as student parliamentarians. They later visited an UNRWA health clinic.
H.E. Shimazaki, said: “UNRWA has contributed to supporting Palestine refugees by helping them get access to essential services in their daily lives. Recognizing the significance of UNRWA operations from a humanitarian perspective and for the regional stability, we need to ensure UNRWA to fulfill its mandate for the well-being of Palestine refugees. Today, I was able to witness the lives of Palestine refugees and the commitment of UNRWA and Jordan on this issue.”
UNRWA briefed the delegation on the Agency’s preventive and curative health services, including family planning, pre-conception care, antenatal care and postnatal follow-up, infant care (growth monitoring, medical check-ups and immunization), school and dental health, outpatient consultations, laboratory services and management of chronic non-communicable diseases.
Acting Director of UNRWA Affairs, Mr. Olaf Becker said: “Japan has always been a committed partner to UNRWA. Today’s visit demonstrates Japan’s ongoing commitment in supporting Palestine refugees in Jordan. We thank the Government and people of Japan for this partnership and support.”
The Government of Japan has been an ongoing donor to UNRWA since 1953. In 2021, the Government of Japan was the 5th largest contributor to the Agency donating a total of US$ 50.4 million. By the end of the second quarter of 2022, Japan contributed US$ 29.5 million to UNRWA, including three contributions for Gaza. The last US$ 1.5 million contribution was announced in late August and another US$ 5 million contribution was announced earlier in June. It is thanks to enduring support of donors like the Government of Japan that UNRWA provides vital services to Palestine refugees across the Middle East.
Notes to Editors
The delegation visited Palestine refugee communities of the UNRWA Social Safety Network Programme (SSNP). In Jordan, some 59,000 SSNP families receive SSNP support. An additional 28,000 families are also eligible but do not receive support to due shortage of funds. The SSNP aims to mitigate poverty among Palestine refugees, with priority focus on cases of extreme poverty.
UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on.
UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
