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Palestinians stand at the entrance of the UNRWA-run University College for Educational Science Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank on 29 January 2024.
Japan
is preparing to resume funding to the UN’s crisis-hit Palestinian refugee
agency (UNRWA), which coordinates nearly all aid to Gaza, the government said.
Once
the sixth-largest contributor to the agency, Japan joined more than a dozen
countries in pausing funding after Israel claimed that 12 of UNRWA’s 13 000
Gaza employees were involved in the deadly 7 October Hamas attack.
Foreign
Minister Yoko Kamikawa met UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini in Tokyo on Thursday
to discuss measures taken by the agency to strengthen governance and
transparency.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said:
Japan and the UNRWA confirmed that they will advance final coordination about necessary efforts to resume Japan’s contribution.
Japanese
media reports said the resumption of funding, which was suspended in January,
was expected to come in the first half of April.
The
abrupt suspension of funding has threatened UNRWA’s efforts to deliver
desperately needed aid in Gaza, where the UN has warned of an impending famine.
This
month, Australia, Canada, Sweden and others said they were resuming aid.
Lazzarini
said Tuesday that the agency has enough funds to keep operating until at least
the end of May.
Kamikawa
on Thursday “pointed out the importance of ensuring transparency and
traceability of fund flows and the neutrality of UNRWA staff”, the
ministry said.
READ | At least 36 Syrian soldiers killed by Israeli strike near Aleppo – war monitor
The
United Nations has launched both an internal and an independent investigation
but has said Israel has not provided it with any evidence to support the claims
against its workers.
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