Government of Malta pledges €50,000 to Palestinian relief and human development agency

The Government of Malta has pledged €50,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in addition to the €55,000 already disbursed earlier this year.

The UNRWA is a relief and human development agency providing education, health, relief, and social services to over 5 million Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela presented the letter with the pledge at the end of his visit to the Al Jalazone Refugee Camp, in the outskirts of Ramallah in Palestine.

“In recognition of UNRWA’s high endeavours to assist, protect and advocate for Palestinian refugees, particularly in the fields of educations and health care, it is our pleasure to pledge this additional sum as a sign of our strong support,” he said.

The minister paid an official visit to the West Bank this week, during which he held talks with the Palestinian Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, and the Minister of National Economy in Ramallah.

In the West Bank, the Minister was accompanied by a commercial delegation made up of representatives of Malta Enterprise, and the Malta Chamber of Commerce, as well as technical experts from the Foundation of Social Welfare Services (FSWS), and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), which negotiated and concluded the second round of the Malta-Palestine Intergovernmental Joint Committee.

Abela presented the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, Riad Al Malki, with a pledge letter of a donation of €5,000 in aid of the restoration of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on judicial cooperation and another one on cooperation on agricultural matters, and another MoU between the Malta Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

Abela discussed the future of the Middle East Peace Process and tangible ways to enhance bilateral relations with Palestinian prime minister Rani Hamdallah, Al Malki, and Minister of National Economy, Abeer Odeh.

He also exchanged views with Palestinian legislator, activist and scholar, Hanan Ashrawi, who served as an official spokesperson of the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East peace process.

The minister also visited Pharmacare, a Palestinian enterprise which established in Malta a pharmaceutical manufacturing company called Pharmacare Premium. Here, Abela said that Malta will be taking the necessary legal measures to facilitate bilateral trade.