Middle East envoy addresses Security Council
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Robert Serry addressing the Security Council on Mid-East situation
The Security Council on Wednesday heard about the ongoing hardship in Gaza from the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry.
Serry visited Gaza earlier this month where he said he was struck by the "fragility and unsustainability of the present situation."
He was also concerned about funding challenges faced by UNRWA, the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees across the region.
"UNRWA, for example, currently requires an additional $57 million to meet the shortfall in its core operating budget, covering all of UNRWA's operations, and an additional $168 million to fully fund the emergency appeal, including the provision of food aid to almost 700,000 vulnerable refugees in the West Bank and Gaza. Most urgent is the funding of $7.5 million to meet food procurement distribution needs in Gaza for 2012—this year." (Duration: 31″)
On Wednesday the Security Council also extended the mandates of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, and the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group.
