Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2 March, 2017 - The United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is seeking to
promote cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group.

Welcoming an UNRWA delegation headed by Ambassador Manuel Bessler,
IsDB Group President, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, took note of the
humanitarian, health and educational efforts that UNRWA is undertaking
and underlined that the IsDB Group greatly welcomes cooperation with
UNRWA in order to see the sufferings of the Palestinian nation
alleviated.

Referring to the ongoing cooperation between the Bank and the UNRWA in
a number of projects for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Gaza
strip, Dr. Bandar Hajjar said the IsDB Group shall continue to support
those efforts to secure the relevant noble objectives.

During its one day visit to the IsDB Group headquarters, the UNRWA
delegation also sought the possibility for garnering financial support
for the prospected UN resolution which will invite support for the
operational budget of the
Agency whose services already reach 5 million Palestinian refugees and
displaced in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as in Jordan,
Lebanon, and Syria.

UNRWA is currently managing 700 schools for Palestinian refugees and
its operational budget for the current year 2017 reaches nearly US
$1.8 billion which mainly comprises donations from the US, the
European Union, as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The IsDB Group, through UNRWA, has so far financed more than US $200
million worth of projects in Palestine, including agreements worth US
$40 million, which are expected to be signed with the Agency within
the next few days as contribution to the reconstruction of hundreds of
residential units in Gaza damaged during 2014 inclusive of a US $2
million project for construction of a school.