April 17, 2024
IAN BORG, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta, Council President for April, speaking in his national capacity, said UNRWA is an “indispensable lifeline” for Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the region, and a stabilizing force there. Malta continues to be a regular contributor to the Agency.
“Preserving the life-saving role and operations of UNRWA must be our primary objective,” he said.
The failure to uphold the rules of law in Gaza is evident in the continued onerous, arbitrary, and bureaucratic impediments preventing the scaling up of humanitarian aid. He welcomed investigations into allegations of UNRWA staff involvement in the 7 October attacks and an independent review into its adherence to the principle of neutrality and called on all parties to fully cooperate with the inquiries.
He appealed to those who suspended contributions to UNRWA to resume “desperately-needed” funding and ensure that the Agency has the necessary resources to operate. In that regard, Malta recently issued a further financial contribution. “In these difficult times, we need to avoid politicizing the work of humanitarian actors,” he said.