Bethlehem/PNN/

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, welcomed the renewal of his mandate by the UN Secretary-General, saying he was “honored” by the decision.

This is Lazzarini’s second three-year term at UNRWA, one of the largest UN agencies in the world. With 28,000 staff members, UNRWA delivers critical services including health, education, social protection, camp infrastructure and sanitation, among others, to millions of Palestine refugees. The Agency operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

“I am honored by the decision of Secretary-General Guterres and his confidence in me at a time of immense challenges in the region,” Lazzarini said. “I also am grateful for the support expressed by the UN Member States, the host countries in the region, and our donors and partners.”

As he starts his second term, Lazzarini pledged to keep working tirelessly to provide continued access of Palestine refugees to UNRWA services per the Agency’s mandate and reinforce the trust of the international community in UNRWA. He is committed to improving and modernizing the quality of the services, including through digitalization.

“I look forward to continuing to work with my dedicated colleagues, most of whom are Palestine refugees, so we can face and overcome challenges together,” said the Commissioner-General. “At the center of all our efforts are the rights of Palestine refugees, until there is a just and lasting solution to their plight.”

Philippe Lazzarini, a Swiss national, is the 11th Commissioner-General of UNRWA. He was previously based in Beirut, Lebanon, as UN Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator. He was appointed as UNRWA Commissioner-General on 18 March 2020, during strict COVID-19 restrictions.