The lower house of the Swiss Parliament rejected funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East
BREAKING NEWS!The lower house of the Swiss Parliament voted again to cancel funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East. Despite massive lobbying by the multibillion-dollar agency, the National Committee vetoed UNRWA's budget line by a majority of 108 to 85.
This decision has aroused widespread concern and discussion in the international community. UNRWA has been working to provide humanitarian assistance and reconstruction work in the Middle East to help those trapped in war and poverty. However, a veto by the lower house of the Swiss parliament means that the institution will lose significant economic support from Switzerland**.
It is understood that the Senate Finance Committee had proposed to cut the funding amount by only half, but this proposal suffered a setback in the House of Commons. Although UNRWA had demonstrated the effectiveness and necessity of its relief efforts during its lobbying efforts, a majority of the members of the lower house of the Swiss Parliament decided to terminate funding for the Agency, believing that financial pressures and other urgent needs in the country were becoming more urgent.
The decision sparked controversy in the international community. Some believe that the decision of the lower house of the Swiss parliament will have a negative impact on humanitarian aid efforts in the Middle East and could lead to more people in distress. However, there was also support for this decision, arguing that Switzerland** should concentrate its limited resources on domestic issues.
At present, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA) has not responded to the decision of the lower house of the Swiss Parliament. However, this decision will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the functioning of the Agency and on humanitarian assistance in the Middle East. The international community would closely monitor the implications of the decision of the lower house of the Swiss Parliament for the Middle East region and the future development of UNRWA.