Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Damascus, SANA- Dr. Faisal Mikdad, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, received on Tuesday Philip Lazarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Mikdad affirmed Syria’s continued commitment to supporting the Palestinian refugee issue and alleviating their suffering, especially in light of the great attempts and pressure exerted by Washington and (Israel), in line with their continuous collaboration to liquidate the Palestinian issue and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, on top of which is the right to return. 
The Deputy Minister stressed that the Syrian government is ready to provide all the facilities and support necessary for UNRWA to carry out its tasks, to ensure the continuation of a decent life for the Palestinian refugees in Syria, and to strengthen the existing cooperation between the two sides on the basis of trust and belief in the importance of defending the rights of the Palestinian people.
Mikdad expressed Syria’s concern about the ability of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to carry out its responsibilities and present itself as an entity capable of defending its primary mission in providing aid to Palestinian refugees, clarifying that this responsibility should be at the forefront of the agency’s work priorities in addition to seeking to ensure sustainable financing for the needs of the Palestinian people.
The Deputy Minister also referred to the fruitful cooperation between the Ministries of Education and other relevant institutions in Syria and the Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees and what has been achieved in the field of school rehabilitation as a result of this cooperation. 
For his part, Lazarini expressed his gratitude and thanks for the facilities provided by the Syrian government in particular in order for the organization to carry out its tasks and implement its activities in the framework of supporting Palestinian refugees and rehabilitating its schools and service centers in Syria.
Lazarini reviewed the efforts made by UNRWA and the UN Secretariat to confront the organization’s financial crisis by relying on guaranteed resources, pointing to the challenges associated with the economic conditions caused by the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic in addition to the crises afflicting the countries of the region.
He explained that the Agency is working to encourage some donor countries all over the world to increase their support for UNRWA in order to remain able to carry out its noble humanitarian tasks towards Palestinian refugees in all areas of asylum.
Nisreen Othman/Mazen Eyon
