On 6 February, an official from the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) announced that the UAE, a top donator to the agency, reduced its funding significantly in 2020. In 2018 and 2019, the UAE contributed to the agency with $51,8 million each year, however this number was drastically decreased to only $1 million in 2020, the official said. The official stated that they hope the funding will increase to previous levels.
The UNRWA is a United Nations agency under the mandate of the UN General Assembly, which provides vital services, education and healthcare to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.
The reduction of the UAE’s funding to the agency comes in the year when Abu Dhabi normalized its relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
