Barring a political choice, which must be made by the Normal Meeting, “there isn’t any method through which any group can exchange or exchange the big capability and construction of UNRWA and its capabilities and data.” Sigrid Kaag, senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, advised correspondents throughout a surveillance outdoors the Safety Council Chamber in New York.
She additionally famous the important thing function the company has performed in training, well being and different providers for many years, earlier than the present battle. UNRWA was established by the Normal Meeting in December 1949.
UNRWA’s actions are in jeopardy after a number of donor international locations, together with america, United Kingdom, Germany and Japan, halted funding following extraordinarily severe allegations that a number of of its employees had been concerned within the October 7 terror assaults in Israel.
The group has launched an investigation and the Secretary Normal has reiterated that any worker discovered concerned shall be held accountable, together with via legal prosecution.
First look
Ms Kaag’s feedback to the press adopted her first behind-closed-doors briefing to the Safety Council since taking over her key coordinating function in accordance with Council Decision 2720 (2023).
Its mandate is to facilitate, coordinate, monitor and confirm humanitarian help shipments to Gaza and set up a UN mechanism to expedite humanitarian help shipments to the enclave via states not celebration to the battle.
Ms. Kaag underlined that the success of her mandate “is concerning the potential to achieve and meet the wants of the residents in Gaza.”
“So far as I am involved, that is the one indicator.”
Challenges on the bottom
Ms Kaag burdened that the absence of a humanitarian ceasefire is hampering help efforts and inflicting delays.
“There’s presently no room for this, given the truth that there isn’t any ceasefire there and the battle is raging. There isn’t a room to have observers in all places in Gaza who can work with the companies to see, confirm and monitor.”
She additionally reiterated the significance of accelerating the stream of business items into Gaza, along with humanitarian help.
“Industrial items needs to be allowed again in,” she stated. “With out that broad bandwidth, there shall be no restoration, not to mention reconstruction, sooner or later.”
Seasoned humanitarian
Ms Kaag from the Netherlands has held a variety of senior positions throughout the UN system. She was appointed by the Secretary-Normal on 26 December 2023 and commenced her task on 8 January.
She served as Particular Coordinator for Lebanon from 2015 to 2017 and as Head of the Joint UN Company for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in Syria from 2013 to 2015.
She additionally served as Assistant Secretary Normal on the UN Improvement Program (2010-2013) and as UNICEF Regional Director for the Center East and North Africa (2007-2010).
Beforehand, Ms Kaag held numerous senior positions on the UN Worldwide Group for Migration (IOM) and UNRWA.
She speaks fluent Arabic and 5 different languages.
She additionally held many excessive positions within the Dutch authorities, together with as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Overseas Affairs.