2007 Lebanon Emergency

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Head of the EC Delegation to Lebanon, H.E. Ambassador Patrick Laurent, and the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Mr. Salvatore Lombardo, as well as a number of UNRWA senior staff, representatives of the Palestinian community and school students. 

Mr. Lombardo thanked the EU for its continuous and generous support to UNRWA especially its commitment to furthering the education of Palestinian youth. He said “Improving the education of Palestine refugees in Lebanon is essential for the improvement of their living conditions in general. The opening of this school would end double shift in the Beqaa. We hope to see more of this happening in other parts of Lebanon as it contributes to better quality of education and then better opportunities for their future”. 

Beirut, 11 December 2008: The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Karen AbuZayd, who has just completed a three days mission in Lebanon, including a visit to Nahr el-Bared camp, appealed to donors and the Lebanese government to intensify efforts to secure additional donations for relief activities and the reconstruction of the camp. 

UNRWA has recently received a number of contributions from donors for its Relief and Early Recovery Appeal (RERA) that will enable it to cater for the critical needs of the displaced refugees of Nahr el-Bared camp until early 2009. Thanks to generous donations from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) (1 million USD), Italy (400,000 Euro), Norway (453,000 USD), Germany (350,000 Euro), the Balearic Islands (180,000 Euro), and ECHO (1.5 million Euro), a total of 8.9 million USD have been pledged to date, including an earlier contribution of 4.3 million USD by the USA, who was the first donor government to pledge on the day of the RERA launch on 11 September. 

These new donations will enable the Agency to provide the displaced families with food assistance and rental subsidies and install solar panels on the temporary shelters. Meanwhile, UNRWA is receiving very positive signs from other Arab and Western donors regarding additional contributions. If these are confirmed, more temporary shelters will be constructed and rental subsidies for displaced families living in rented accommodation will be covered for a longer period. 

However, the Agency is still faced with a major financial shortfall for the reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared camp, which remains largely under-funded. Out of 282 million USD required by UNRWA for the reconstruction of the camp and the rehabilitation of Beddawi camp, 32.1 million USD have been pledged to date, of which 27.1 USD have been received. This amount has allowed the Agency to begin the rubble removal and de-mining operations, to complete the design of construction package one in the first of eight sectors, and will also cover the construction costs for package one and part of package two.

On 29 November 2008, the Italian Embassy’s Development Cooperation Office and UNRWA organized a day of sports events for young Palestine Refugees in Lebanon.

The event was held in UNRWA’s Siblin Training Centre in the presence of the ambassador of Italy in Lebanon Mr. Gabriele Cecchia, and the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon Mr. Salvatore Lombardo. The event included sports activities and competitions in the fields of racing, football, table tennis, volleyball and basketball. At the end of the day, medals and cups were awarded to winners.  

Participants came from all Palestinian camps in Lebanon, and were accompanied by their families and 40 athletic trainers. All participants were provided with uniforms, shoes and bags with the logo of “Palestiniadi” and other sponsors.    To make the beneficial effect of sports last longer than “Palestiniadi” event, the project has also included the rehabilitation of two sports spaces situated in UNRWA schools in the camps of Shatila (Beirut) and Rashidiye (Tyre). It aims at promoting peace and dialogue through sports.

The idea was born from a need expressed in the camps by the young Palestinians and their families to have more recreational spaces that help them get away from their very difficult living conditions. This is a pilot experience that may be replicated in other camps and disciplines. During 2009, rehabilitation of sporting facilities will expand to all UNRWA schools and closed spaces inside the Palestine refugee Camps in Lebanon.

In his address to the participants, his excellency Mr. Gabriele Cecchia, Ambassador of Italy to Lebanon announced a new contribution of 400,000 Euros by the Italian Government to the UNRWA lief and early Recovery Appeal. In addition to this, theUniversity of Perugia will award two scholarships for Sports and Motor Sciences studies in Italy.

Some 4.6 million Palestine refugees in UNRWA’s five fields of operations – Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem – are eligible for Agency services, including education, healthcare, social services, shelter, micro-credit loans and emergency aid. UNRWA employs nearly 30,000 staff, the vast majority of whom are Palestine refugees. UNRWA’s operations are financed almost entirely by voluntary contributions from donors. The Agency’s regular budget for 2008-2009 is $1.1 billion, which covers the recurrent costs of the Agency’s education, health and relief and social services activities.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and in collaboration with the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee and the Palestinian Liberation Organization launched on 29 October the rubble removal operations in Nahr el-Bared camp.

The ceremony took place on the edge of the camp overlooking the ongoing works. The official launch was attended by UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Mr. Michael Williams, UNDP resident representative Ms Marta Ruedas, UNRWA’s Deputy Commissioner-General Mr. Filipo Grandi, the Chairman of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee Ambassador Khalil Mekkawi, the PLO Representative in Lebanon Mr. Abbas Zaki, in addition to heads of UN missions, ambassadors and representatives of the refugee community.

On behalf of UNRWA, UNDP is implementing the rubble removal. This constitutes the prelude to the start of the reconstruction process in January 2009 that is expected to take three to four years and to be split into eight packages.  

Some 4.6 million Palestine refugees in UNRWA’s five fields of operations – Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem – are eligible for Agency services, including education, healthcare, social services, shelter, micro-credit loans and emergency aid. UNRWA employs nearly 30,000 staff, the vast majority of whom are

A delegation of high level donor countries representatives visited Nahr El Bared Refugee camp in North Lebanon 12 June and were briefed by senior officials from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) about the progress made in response to Nahr El Bared crisis and plans for the reconstruction and recovery of the camp and its surrounding areas.

The donors’ delegation started by visiting the adjacent area to Nahr El Bared camp where they met with returnees. The delegation that is formed of UNRWA Advisory Commission members, also visited UNRWA’s newly constructed clinic and temporary housing units that are accommodating displaced families, until the reconstruction of Nahr El Bared camp. The delegation stopped at the old UNRWA compound where rubble is being removed, before driving through the old camp.

The visit comes after a two-day meeting in Syria, of the above-mentionned commission, that meets twice a year.

On this occasion, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon Mr. Richard Cook thanked the “donor community for its continuous support to UNRWA and its commitment to improve the living conditions of Palestine refugees in Lebanon.” He added that “the rubble removal of UNRWA compound is another sign of the firm commitment of UNRWA and the Lebanese Government to reconstruct the camp. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) had started on 5 June clearing rubble from its compound in Nahr El Bared camp which was destroyed in the conflict last year.   The donors visit comes after a briefing session that was organized in Beirut on 9 June, in advance of the International Donor Conference that will be held on 23 June 2008 in Vienna, on the plan for the recovery and reconstruction of Nahr el Bared camp and surrounding areas.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) started on June 5 clearing rubble from its compound in Nahr El Bared camp which was destroyed in the conflict last year. The Lebanese Army through the Lebanese Mine Action Centre (LMAC) are providing  the Agency with explosive ordnance disposal support. Once cleared, the UNRWA compound site will be used as operations area for the Nahr El Bared camp rubble removal and sorting. The main rubble removal from the camp, in partnership with UNDP, is expected to start soon.  

“Starting the rubble removal is an important step in our plans to reconstruct Nahr el Bared camp and it should indicate to Palestine refugees and to the wider world how committed UNRWA and the Lebanese Government are to returning the displaced population to their home” said Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Richard J. Cook. Nahr El Bared camp reconstruction is the largest single project UNRWA has ever undertaken. An international donor conference for the recovery and reconstruction of Nahr el Bared camp and surrounding areas will be held on 23 June 2008 in Vienna.

In preparation for this International conference, UNRWA and the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) are organizing a  briefing session on the plan for the recovery and reconstruction in Beirut on 9 June. UNRWA is still providing for the needs of the Palestinians displaced from Nahr El Bared camp and the returnees. It has constructed 574 temporary shelters around Nahr El Bared and has plans for the construction of additional shelters. 3100 displaced families are receiving rental subsidies.

About 1900 families have returned to the adjacent area. Food and non-food items are regularly distributed to 5554 displaced families. Three prefabricated schools have been put in place and two health centres established in the adjacent area.