UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced the formation of an independent panel to assess the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The move comes in response to accusations against UNRWA that 12 of its staff members were involved in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
The panel, headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, will collaborate with three European research organizations, namely the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights. The primary objective of the assessment is to determine whether UNRWA is taking all necessary measures to ensure neutrality and effectively respond to allegations.
Funding Suspension to UNRWA
Several countries, including the United States, Germany, Britain, and Sweden, have suspended funding to UNRWA amid the controversy. The independent panel is expected to submit an interim report to Secretary-General Guterres in late March, followed by a final report in late April. The final report may include recommendations for the “improvement and strengthening” of UNRWA’s mechanisms.
This assessment is distinct from an internal probe initiated by the United Nations last month to investigate the accusations against the 12 UNRWA employees.
