Statement by UNRWA Commissioner-General ad interim Christian Saunders at the Pledging Conference

New York

Madam President,

Secretary-General,

Excellencies,

Good morning.

I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this pledging conference.

I am also grateful to the Secretary-General for his presence and his unwavering support to UNRWA.

The General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949, recognizing, I quote, that "continued assistance for the relief of the Palestine refugees [was] necessary to prevent conditions of starvation and distress among them and to further conditions of peace and stability".

Member States could not have imagined that this assistance would still be needed 76 years later.

The fact that it is reflects our collective failure to definitively address the plight of Palestine Refugees.

Today, UNRWA is buffeted by winds of change and must confront new political, operational and financial realities.

To safeguard our mandate to protect and assist Palestine Refugees, and to uphold our commitment to giving them the best possible chance at fulfilling and meaningful lives, the Agency must evolve.

The Agency must reform.

Madam President,

UNRWA remains the major provider of humanitarian assistance and essential public services for Palestine Refugees across its fields of operation and plays a vital stabilizing role in the region.

In Gaza - where more than 390 of our colleagues have paid the ultimate price and thousands more have been injured or suffered abuse and ill-treatment - UNRWA remains the largest humanitarian actor and most capable of providing services at scale.

Today, approximately 1.7 million people-both Palestine Refugees and non-refugees-depend on the Agency's services.

UNRWA is a critical platform for recovery, institutional stability, and lasting peace.

Preserving and strengthening this asset is essential, not only for those it serves but for the region's future.

With our 11,000-strong workforce akin to a government civil service, with unparalleled service delivery networks, skills and deep reserves of community trust, UNRWA's capacities are vital for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803 and the efforts of the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, until an orderly handover to the Palestinian Authority.

Today, UNRWA is the single largest primary healthcare provider in Gaza.

On average, 80,000 medical consultations are delivered weekly by more than 1,300 healthcare workers.

That is approximately 14,00 consultations each day.

The Agency also supports public health through immunization, nutrition screening, and pest control.

Our water wells, desalination systems, and waste management services benefit over a million people.

The Agency remains one of the largest providers of emergency learning and psychosocial support across the Gaza Strip.

We use digital tools to provide basic literacy and numeracy activities for over 280,000 children.

In-person learning is expanding through temporary learning spaces that cater for approximately 60,000 children.

These services, which keep people and hope alive, continue despite the draconian restrictions imposed on UNRWA.

And we are determined to keep working, against the odds, to fulfil the mandate that you have given us.

Excellencies,

The situation in the occupied West Bank is becoming graver by the day.

Military orders for the closure of refugee camps in the north have been extended, preventing 33,000 displaced residents from returning home.

This is the largest displacement of Palestine Refugees since 1967.

Amid intensifying Israeli military operations, rampant settler violence, and the enormous pressure exerted on the Palestinian Authority, UNRWA's essential services bring a critical measure of stability to the lives of nearly a million Palestine Refugees.

In this volatile context, the seizure of UNRWA's compound in Sheikh Jarrah by the Israeli authorities-for the stated purpose of constructing an IDF defense complex-is a grave escalation.

We continue to address these matters at the highest levels and hope that we can resolve them through dialogue.

Beyond the occupied Palestinian territory, Palestine Refugees' reliance on UNRWA services remains significant.

In Lebanon, deep structural inequalities cause Palestine Refugees to depend heavily on healthcare, education and social support services, as well as livelihood opportunities, provided by the Agency.

In Syria, many Palestine Refugees remain displaced or have returned to heavily damaged homes and infrastructure - the assistance provided by the Agency is a lifeline.

In Jordan, despite relative stability, the most vulnerable Palestine Refugees continue to rely on UNRWA services.

In all our fields of operation, needs outstrip available resources.

This is also true globally - the funding landscape is more challenging now than it has ever been.

We must, therefore, find more effective, efficient and sustainable ways of meeting the needs of those we serve.

This includes enhancing Palestine Refugees' self-reliance, giving them greater agency and more control over their lives.

Young people must have new and better opportunities to learn and develop their skills to excel in the labour markets of today and the future.

Women and girls must have access not only to safe spaces but to nurturing environments that support and prepare them to thrive and to lead.

Embracing change is not about weakening or undermining the Agency.

It is the only way to properly continue serving Palestine Refugees.

Madam President,

UNRWA's humanitarian and development work clearly remains necessary for the time being. But it continues to be challenged.

While the occupied Palestinian territory is not a zero-risk operating environment, UNRWA has zero-tolerance for any breach of neutrality, impartiality or indeed any form of misconduct.

Our policy on Outside and Political Activities makes very clear that while personal views and convictions are inviolable - in accordance with basic human rights - staff must uphold United Nations values, principles and standards at all times.

Staff are thus clearly and unequivocally prohibited from participating in the activities, or being a member, of any militant or armed group.

I am deeply committed to upholding the United Nations values, principles and standards, and I expect the same from each and every employee of UNRWA.

The Agency is also progressing steadily with the implementation of the recommendations arising from the Independent Review of UNRWA's neutrality conducted by Madame Colonna.

As you have heard, 40 out of 50 of the recommendations - or 80 per cent - are now fully implemented. The implementation of many of the remaining recommendations is underway.

Upholding neutrality is a shared responsibility between UNRWA and Member States - we rely on your continued engagement and support to operate in a principled, safe and effective way in complex environments.

Excellencies,

UNRWA's financial situation is untenable and the viability of our operations across the region is at stake.

The steady implementation of austerity and cost control measures amounting to US$ 175 million in 2025, and strict cashflow management, have largely prevented the loss of jobs.

However, in January this year, UNRWA was compelled to reduce its service delivery hours by 20%, with a corresponding reduction in salaries for most Palestinian staff.

We are also compelled to maintain a vacancy rate of 15.5% for international staff due to the overall cashflow situation across the United Nations.

Despite our best efforts, a cashflow deficit of US$ 100 million remains for 2026.

I must underscore that these severe austerity and cost-control measures are not sustainable in the long term and cannot continue indefinitely.

The impact on Palestine Refugees and UNRWA staff is serious and compounds the hardships that they already endure.

It will simply not be possible to restore UNRWA's operations to their past scope- or to prevent further deterioration - in the absence of a significant influx of new funding and change.

Madam President,

Continuing to deliver UNRWA's mandate requires adapting to global political and financial realities.

Protection will always remain central to our work, and we will retain our ability to respond effectively to humanitarian crises.

However, as part of the Agency's reform, there will be greater emphasis on development initiatives and sustainable livelihoods moving forward so as to give Palestine Refugees increased agency.

UNRWA is also committed to delivering essential services to Palestine Refugees in an even more cost-effective, efficient and data-informed manner, including by leveraging new technologies and closer cooperation with host countries.

This requires carefully managed programmatic and operational change, guided by a clear vision that is supported by host and donor countries alike.

The needs and aspirations of Palestine Refugees, especially women and youth, must be at the heart of this vision and inform the strategic plan that will guide our efforts.

Excellencies,

The Agency's senior leadership is committed to doing what is necessary to safeguard UNRWA's mandate.

But we will only succeed with robust political and financial support from Member States, and through partnerships with the UN family, the private sector, and others.

Let me conclude with two requests:

First, that you continue to lend your full political support to ensure UNRWA's unique capacities can be fully deployed in Gaza to support the efforts of the international community, especially the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

Access restrictions must be lifted.

Second, that you provide the political and financial support necessary for UNRWA to implement a programme of change that will make it fit for purpose.

Our goal over the next 5-10 years is to make UNRWA more financially sustainable and supportable, by reducing duplication and redundancy and by adopting a more sustainable service-delivery model.

Finally, I would like to thank you for the generous and principled support you have provided for decades and ask that you continue to support the needs of Palestine Refugees going forward.

Thank you.