Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the accuracy of the report on the internal ethics of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, produced in 2018, and (2) the suspension of aid by Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands to that Agency; and what steps they are taking in the light of the allegations of nepotism, bullying and corruption in that Agency.

DFID is not in a position to comment on the accuracy of the internal ethics report referred to. However, we are concerned by the allegations of misconduct and mismanagement at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which are currently being investigated by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services under the authority of the UN Secretary General. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa wrote to the UN Deputy Secretary General in August urging the UN to conduct a thorough, rigorous and speedy investigation and to act quickly on its recommendations. It would be inappropriate to comment on the allegations ahead of that process reaching a conclusion.

We note that a small number of donors have suspended funding to UNRWA while the investigation is ongoing (representing approximately 0.01% of UNRWA’s 2019 budget). The UK has, like the substantial majority of donors, and all major donors, maintained our funding.