Sida wishes to provide emergency assistance to Unrwa – binding by government
Sweden’s attitude stands out. Together with the United States, we are the only former aid providers who have completely interrupted support to UNRWA, the UN body for assistance to Palestinian refugees.
The government’s official explanation is that the money was stopped because Israel banned the organization from operating in the area.
But that is not a sustainable argument, says the Swedish Raoul Wallenberg Institute.
– If we were to close support for organizations every time a party refuses access, then in principle there would be no humanitarian assistance in the world, says the institute’s manager Peter Lundberg.
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute was with and investigated Unrwa’s ability to work as a neutral player in the Middle East in the spring of 2024.
– We found out if Unrwa could live up to the principles of neutrality and we could make it clear that they can absolutely. They are probably some of the best in the class because they are so carefully adapted by different parties, says Peter Lundberg.
This assessment is shared by Sida’s humanitarian department, which has made a « technical assessment » of how well UNRWA can operate in Gaza and on the West Bank.
DN has taken part in an extensive assessment memorandum dated May 15.
There, the authority concludes that Israel’s ban on UNRWA has indeed adversely affected the organization’s opportunities, but that, despite this, UNRWA still the player who can work best in place right now.
As an example, UNRWA during the ceasefire last winter took 2,300 trucks with humanitarian aid across the border. The organization vaccinated 200,000 children, gave clean water to half a million people and provided medical care to more than 350,000 of Gaza’s inhabitants.
Sida’s officials conclude that Sweden should provide humanitarian financial assistance to UNRWA. The humanitarian department on SIDA proposes to resume the preparation of financial humanitarian support and to pay out SEK 30 million within a couple of weeks.
Sida’s assessment is that UNRWA is effective, can work in place and could use the money from Sweden to help distressed.
But in a new assessment from May 18, Sida suddenly turns. The Director -General considers himself to be able to defy the government.
« Sida’s overall assessment is that the authority so far will not support UNRWA’s operations with additional funding. This, based on the authority’s interpretation of the government’s authority instruction to Sida and its decision to terminate the Swedish core support to the UN body, » the new document states.
The background is that the government’s instruction was changed on May 15. Aid policy should now be an integral part of foreign policy.
Technically, Sida can still grant assistance to Gaza, since the humanitarian department has the right to respond to emergency aid applers. This has come from Unwra. But the government instruction means that Sida is awaiting, which has led to frustration among many employees, experiences DN.
At the same time, hundreds are waiting Trucks with supplies on the border with Gaza, which Israeli authorities have stopped. Only a few are let in.
– Humanitarian access is often a basic problem, this also applies to, for example, Sudan. But we have rarely or never used it as an argument for not providing funding, but then you have to argue how to gain access, says Peter Lundberg.
Minister of Deputy Benjamin Dousa (M) does not want to comment on the information but refers to Sida.
DN is looking for page for a comment.
Read more:
Pressure increases in the EU – requirement that an agreement with Israel be terminated
The doctor from inside Gaza: obvious that Israel is breaking all the laws of war
Unrwa: « Our worst fears have been true »
Read more about the crisis in the Middle East here
