"I am happy to say that, with the exception of the United States, which cannot resume before March 2025 because of legislative constraints, all the other countries are back," Lazzarini said on Friday.
Lazzarini expressed hope the United Kingdom will also be back soon and he received communications confirming that.
UNRWA crucially needs funding and can last until September without additional support, Lazzarini added. Multiple countries ceased funding of the UNRWA after Israel accused several of its employees of being members of terrorist groups. However, in April an independent investigation performed for the UN by a former French Prime Minister found that Israel never presented any evidence of its claims.
Earlier in the day, the United Nations held a pledging conference to support the UNRWA in New York.
The main speakers were the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini.
The conference’s main goal was to ensure sufficient funding for UNRWA’s mission, especially as the United Nations views it as the only UN agency that effectively addresses critical issues in the Gaza Strip.