Question Period Note: OIOS Investigation: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)

The UN Office of Internal Oversight Services is conducting an investigation into allegations against senior management of UNRWA. The Government has received calls to suspend/end its support to UNRWA.

• Canadian officials have reviewed the confidential investigation report (which was partially redacted), and note that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services did a thorough and comprehensive investigation.
• The report supports the UN's earlier confirmations that no fraud or misappropriation of operational funds occurred.
• UNRWA's new senior management has committed to significant management reform initiatives aimed at strengthening UNRWA's accountability, transparency, management and governance.

• Canada will remain closely engaged on these efforts.

The UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) conducted an investigation into allegations against several senior staff within UNRWA, resulting in the resignation of UNRWA's former Commissioner-General in November 2019. The UN Secretary-General's office confirmed in February 2020 that the investigations were complete, and there were no findings of fraud. Partially-redacted versions of the final set of reports were shared in confidence with Canada and other member states. OIOS investigation reports remain confidential and internal to the UN, as per UN rules and regulations.
Canada committed a total of $110M to UNRWA from 2016 through 2019. Canada also provided $1.5M to UNRWA in April 2020 to support the Agency's preparedness and response to COVID-19 in the region.
Established in 1948, UNRWA is the only UN agency mandated to provide basic services to over five million Palestinian refugees and contributes to peace and stability in the region. The Agency delivers education, health, social services and humanitarian assistance to people whose needs would otherwise be unmet. Canada's support assists UNRWA in its ongoing efforts to improve neutrality within the Agency and its operations.
UNRWA is almost entirely funded through voluntary contributions and receives broad international support. For the past several years, UNRWA has faced a significant chronic funding shortfall partly as a result of growing needs and falling contributions most notably the withdrawal of US funding. UNRWA's Programme Budget (education, health and social services) and the Emergency Appeal for the West Bank and Gaza, the COVID-19 Appeal and the Syria Regional Appeal are currently facing deficits and cuts to services. Some services have already been scaled back, and without significant additional resources, more may need to be cut, leading to negative humanitarian consequences.

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