UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday asked for more support for the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA).
"China calls on the international community to lend greater support to UNRWA. We hope that the pledging conference to be held in June will be a success," Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council.
Last year, on the basis of the regular annual pledge to the agency, China increased greatly its contributions to it, he said. "We will continue to make financial contributions to UNRWA."
Over recent years, the hotspot issues in the Middle East triggered numerous humanitarian crises. UNRWA, in the face of extremely harsh and difficult conditions, has carried out humanitarian relief efforts and achieved positive results, Ma noted.
"We have noted that UNRWA has been working hard to improve the humanitarian situation of Palestine refugees, safeguard their rights, alleviate the burden on their host countries, actively promote regional peace and stability, and prevent the spread of terrorist and extremist ideologies in the refugee camps. China applauds such efforts," he said.
The UN agency, officially known as the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, is a relief and human development aid body for Palestine refugees and their descendants. It currently helps more than 5 million people in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria as well as West Bank and Gaza.
The agency was confronted with its most severe funding crisis in 2018 after the United States, traditionally the largest donor, suddenly cut its funding before it completely stopped its support.
