7 SEPTEMBER 2021

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today¡¯s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

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Question:? Thank you, Farhan.? On 16 July, the United States and Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA?[United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] signed a memorandum of understanding.? In this memorandum, the US dictates to Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA how to behave, how to recruit, how to scrutinize the staff, how not to express their affiliation or their ideologies.? And how to even change the curriculum for schools.? I think this is a kind of interference, direct interference.? It’s a precedent that a Member State dictates to an Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ agency what to do and how to behave.? If you cannot answer me, why they did that, I really request someone from Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA to come and answer all these questions.? Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman:? From our standpoint, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA interacts with a variety of Member States to address their concerns.? And we trust that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA does a professional job and its staff do professional jobs.? But, we are aware that different Member States, including donor Governments and others with whom Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA interacts, have had concerns about its practices.? And it’s in dialogue with them to address that.? And that’s part of its own responsibilities.

Correspondent:? This is a written agreement.? This is something not only just expressing hope that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA will do this and do that.? This is more than that.? It goes beyond.

Deputy Spokesman:? Again, this is part of the regular interactions that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA has with countries to address their own concerns and make sure that the work that we do is objective and is¡­ and the professionalism of our staff is respected by all.

Question:? So you say that donations, it’s okay to be granted under conditions?

Deputy Spokesman:? No.? What I’m saying is that this is part of a normal dialogue.? And, indeed, other Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ agencies also engage in dialogues with donors and others to address whatever concerns they have about our practices.? So, that is a standard part of the work that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ agencies do.

Question:? Can you please arrange for the Commissioner General, Mr.?[Philippe] Lazzarini, to brief us on that or any other issue?

Deputy Spokesman:? We will see whether Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA is interested in a briefing along those lines.? All right.? Have a good afternoon, everyone.

For information media. Not an official record.