UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has received the interim findings of an independent panel tasked with assessing UNRWA, the UN agency aiding Palestinians.
The review, prompted by allegations of UNRWA staff involvement in the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, is under scrutiny by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).
Presented on Tuesday, the interim report acknowledges UNRWA’s mechanisms for upholding neutrality but identifies critical areas requiring attention. The review group will formulate actionable recommendations to strengthen the agency.
The final report, due April 20, will be publicly available. The panel, appointed in February by Guterres in consultation with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, is led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, aided by research organizations in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
