CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday that his country is following attentively the latest developments with regard to the situation of Palestinian refugees in light of the successive regional changes.
Shoukry's comments came during his meeting with the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Pierre Krahenbuhl, who currently visits Cairo.
"They dealt with the latest developments in the situation of Palestinian refugees, in addition to the status of the agency and difficulties it currently faces," spokesperson for the ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a press statement.
He added that the UNRWA Commissioner-General valued the historical cooperation and solidarity relations between Egypt and the agency, noting that there are only four main UNRWA offices worldwide, one of which is in Cairo.
This is an indication of Egypt's importance and regional weight, as well as its active role in support of UNRWA and its activities, especially in its capacity as current chairperson of the agency's Advisory Commission since July 2017, the spokesman said.
For his part, Shoukry praised the role played by UNRWA and efforts of the Commissioner-General aimed at improving the situation of Palestinian refugees within the occupied Palestinian territories or in host countries.
Abu Zeid added that Krahenbuhl briefed Shoukry on the status of the agency in terms of financing and activities, referring in the same context to the significant financial crisis encountered by UNRWA due to the failure of a number of donor countries to pay their shares in addition to the unprecedented increase in expenses.
UNRWA was established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some five million registered Palestinian refugees.
The UN agency helps Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip and provides services including education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance to them.
