UNRWA is chronically underfunded. The deficit constrains the Agency from allocating resources to vital reforms, which risks jeopardizing the reform process as a whole and the efficiency gains underway.

Reforms enable UNRWA to better implement its development mandate by providing better quality and more efficient services to Palestine refugees

The intervention is complementary to the regular General Fund contribution from the Humanitarian credit line; and constitutes a follow-up to contributions to ERP (2009) from the Humanitarian credit line, and to the Resource Mobilization Strategy (2012-2013) from the Regional Cooperation credit line. Switzerland seeks and facilitates coordination with like-minded donors and host countries on matters related to the reforms

Internal management is strengthened with the integration of UNRWA’s finance, procurement and human resources operations into one platform, the Enterprise Resource Planning system. Funding of UNRWA is increased with the implementation of the Resource Mobilization Strategy and allows the organization to fulfill its mandate without cutting basic services nor compromising quality

Results from previous phases:  

While this is the first phase of a long-term support to UNRWA’s reforms, Switzerland has already contributed to these two specific reforms through project funding. Main results include the following: The four components of the Enterprise Resource Planning system - finance, procurement and logistics, human resources and payroll - have been built.The Resource Mobilization Strategy has been particularly successful in the fundraising with emerging markets and Arab Countries (USD 105 million in the last year).

Phase 1 01.12.2013 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)