European Commission disburses full €82 million 2026 contribution to UNRWA
European Commission Commissioner Šuica confirmed at the UNRWA ministerial meeting that the Commission has disbursed the entirety of its €82 million contribution to UNRWA's 2026 budget, on top of €18.6 million in humanitarian funding already provided this year across Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. She said 6 million Palestinian refugees depend on UNRWA, and described the demolition of UNRWA's East Jerusalem headquarters and the forced evacuation of the Kalandia Training Centre as unacceptable.
Impact and considerations
UNRWA's financial sustainability directly affects humanitarian and education service delivery across several Middle East countries, offering operational and compliance reference for organisations operating or funding programmes in the region.
Key points
- The European Commission has disbursed the entirety of its €82 million contribution to UNRWA's 2026 budget.
- This comes on top of €18.6 million in humanitarian funding already provided this year across Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
- Šuica said 6 million Palestinian refugees depend on UNRWA; last summer in Gaza, 60,000 children, including children with disabilities, took part in UNRWA learning activities supported by the EU.
- Šuica cited the demolition of UNRWA's East Jerusalem headquarters and the forced evacuation of the Kalandia Training Centre, calling these actions unacceptable and counterproductive.
- The EU called on all partners to disburse pledged funds without delay and to help secure UNRWA's financial sustainability, while welcoming efficiency efforts and reform progress on the Colonna Report recommendations.
Sources and time
- Primary source
- European Commission
- Other sources
- 0
- First source publication
- 24 Sept 2026, 06:00
- Page published
- 25 Sept 2026, 18:01
- Last updated
- 24 Sept 2026, 06:00
- Original links
- European Commission Press Corner：UNRWA Ministerial-level Meeting (opens in a new tab)Primary source · en · Published 24 Sept 2026, 06:00