Saudi Arabia has confirmed its continued support for Palestinian refugees throughout the region, and its full support for United Nations Agency for Relief and Works for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to achieve its humanitarian objectives and continue its activities to alleviate the tragedy of the Palestinian people and reduce their sufferings until the return of refugees to their country of origin from which they were displaced.

Addressing the Fourth Committee on UNRWA, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United Nations Abdullah bin Yahiya Al-Mo'allemi said "the Kingdom has the honor to stand with the Palestinian people as it sees that as a religious and human duty to achieve their legitimate right to live in freedom, dignity and access to all their legitimate rights, and we value the fundamental and human role being played by UNRWA in providing more than five million Palestinians with care and attention."

Ambassador Al-Mo'allemi noted that this year the Kingdom has contributed nearly $100 million to UNRWA and is an active member of the its Advisory Commission since 2005.

The ambassador also explained that “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has donated $10 million through the Saudi Fund for Development to build a larger base and warehouse for supplies Rafah, southern Gaza which will serve as UNRWA main warehouse to store basic food and non-food items. 

"This project is a part of a comprehensive project which was signed between UNRWA and the Saudi Fund for Development in May 2015 to rebuild and renovate housing units and create a supply depot as well as to support the health and education sectors in the Gaza Strip, with a total value of $62 million.” The project is expected to be completed in 2017.

He added that the Kingdom has also donated nearly $2 million for the construction of a health center in Aqabet El-Gabr in West Bank’s Jordan Valley to meet the critical health needs of Palestine refugees there.

Ambassador Al-Mo'allemi concluded by stressing that the Kingdom will continue to be a leader in its support for Palestinian refugees across the region, pointing out that what has been provided by the Kingdom to UNRWA is an evidence to "our full confidence in the vital and important role being played by UNRWA for caring of Palestinian refugees and meeting their main needs.”