UNITED NATIONS: The relief agency for Palestinian territories raised $118 million in a fund-raising at the UN on Thursday, leaving a $68 million gap for the year, in an attempt to compensate for the Trump administration’s move to suspend its $300 million annual contribution.

The European Union, Germany, Norway, Ireland and Kuwait stepped in this week to make the contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) after the United States cut $304 million of its annual support to the organisation for this year.

The European Union alone upped its annual contribution by $40 million, according to its press officers in New York.

The fresh pledges, made at a luncheon held during the UN General Assembly annual debate, still leaves the UN agency with a $68 million gap. Sweden and Jordan spearheaded the fund-raising effort.

Earlier this year, Sweden had made a commitment of giving more than $200 million to UNRWA.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2018