Brazil Assumes Presidency of UNRWA Advisory Commission

On July 1st, Brazil assumed the presidency of the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for a one-year term, succeeding Spain.

Established in 1949 by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302, the Agency aims to provide education, healthcare, and humanitarian and social assistance to Palestinian refugees—currently around 6 million—in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

The Advisory Commission is tasked with advising and assisting the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, currently the Swiss Philippe Lazzarini, in carrying out the Agency’s mandate.

Brazil has been a member of UNRWA’s Advisory Commission since 2014 and recognizes the irreplaceable role of the Agency and the essential nature of its work in delivering basic services to Palestinian refugees.

Brazil’s presidency of the Advisory Commission reflects the country’s commitment to the mandate entrusted to UNRWA and reaffirms its appeal to the international community to ensure continued financial and political support for the Agency’s activities.