Damascus, May 19 (SANA) The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) held a consultative meeting Tuesday at its office inside Yarmouk camp in Damascus, with the participation of a representative of Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and representatives of international organizations and donor states, to discuss recovery and humanitarian development efforts in Syria — which hosts approximately 418,000 Palestinian refugees.
Yarmouk as a model for recovery
UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General for Programmes and Partnerships Natalie Boucly said the camp represents a model of community recovery in Syria, stressing that sustainable recovery requires safe housing, schools, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities to enable residents to rebuild their lives with dignity.
She noted that UNRWA continues to support Palestinian refugees through education, vocational training, protection, and economic empowerment programs, with more than 3,400 students having completed vocational training over the past five years and thousands more benefiting from microfinance programs.
Boucly stressed that accelerating the rehabilitation of war-damaged camps — foremost among them Yarmouk — is an essential component of Syria’s broader recovery and social cohesion.
UN Coordinator: services must match the return
UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Nathalie Fustier said Yarmouk reflects the reality of recovery across the country, noting that the return of residents signals resilience but requires the restoration of basic services, housing, and livelihoods to ensure stability.
She emphasized the importance of coordination among UN agencies and organizations to support housing, education, health, protection, rubble removal, and mine clearance, stating that investment in the camp’s rehabilitation will contribute to sustainable recovery and reduce aid dependency.
$94 million needed
UNRWA Director of Affairs in Syria Amanya Michael Ebye told SANA that the meeting aimed to highlight achievements in Yarmouk, address remaining challenges, and mobilize the necessary funding.
He noted that the camp’s population has grown from approximately 15,000 to 60,000, pushing the number of students in UNRWA schools from 1,200 to 2,700 and increasing pressure on health services.
He said UNRWA is working to secure funding for a new school and health clinic, and to support 5,000 families in repairing their homes, adding that the agency requires $94 million through 2026 to sustain its education, health, livelihoods, and shelter programs.
Ebye expressed appreciation for the support of the Syrian government and reaffirmed UNRWA’s commitment to continued cooperation in support of Palestinian refugees in Syria.
KhA
