Long-term support to UNRWA’s reform

Project completed

Switzerland’s additional support to the General Fund of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East) will enable the organization to further implement its development mandate and its reform agenda. The intervention focuses on the strengthening of the Agency’s internal management by supporting the completion of the Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) and on increasing the Agency’s funding by supporting its Resource Mobilization Strategy.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Education
Health
Humanitarian Assistance & DRR
Primary education
Primary health care
Material relief assistance
01.12.2013 - 31.12.2014
CHF  2’303’117
Background

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.

Objectives

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

Target groups

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

Medium-term outcomes

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

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).


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
  • UNRWA


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’303’117 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    2’303’117
Project phases Phase 5 01.07.2021 - 30.06.2023   (Completed) Phase 4 01.01.2018 - 30.06.2021   (Completed) Phase 3 01.01.2016 - 31.12.2017   (Completed) Phase 2 01.01.2015 - 31.12.2015   (Completed)

Phase 1 01.12.2013 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)