22 August 2018

Thank you for your email of 29 July about your concerns regarding UN Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) funding and military training of children. I am replying on behalf of the Department for International Development (DFID). DFID leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty, building a safer, healthier, more prosperous world for all of us.

We have fully set out the UK’s position with respect of this matter in previous conversations with the Centre for Near East Policy, which is the UK government strongly condemns all forms of violence and incitement to violence. Our support to the UNRWA is based on stringent attention to their neutrality and values of peace.

We increased our planned funding to UNRWA this year and last year to ensure the Agency can continue to deliver vital health and education services. DFID uses a variety of tools to monitor UNRWA’s performance and ensure that funding reaches the intended beneficiaries and delivers planned results, that it delivers value for money, and that it complies with UK transparency requirements.

This position has not changed and there is no additional information that we can provide on the points raised in your email.

Yours sincerely

Anne Langley
Department for International Development