Dh23m boost for refugee camps

Thousands of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are to benefit from building and renovation projects worth Dh23m after the UAE Red Crescent Authority signs two agreements with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

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Thousands of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are to benefit from building and renovation projects worth Dh23 million (US$6m), after the UAE Red Crescent Authority yesterday signed two agreements with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Under the agreements about 500 homes in the Burj al Shamali and Nahr al Bared refugee camps will be either built or renovated. The Red Crescent said yesterday that 10,000 refugees will benefit from the Burj al Shamali project, in which 343 homes will be constructed or upgraded.

According to Peter Ford, UNRWA's representative of the commissioner-general, the project is expected to be completed in a year and a half. The second agreement includes building 149 temporary houses in Nahr al Bared, which will provide shelter for refugees until their camp is fully rebuilt in five years' time. They are expected to be ready in less than a year. The UAE Red Crescent has to date initiated 68 projects worth Dh300 million in the Palestinian Territories, such as rebuilding Jenine camp and establishing a youth social centre there.

Future projects include $5m worth of improvements at al Nayrb camp in Syria. hdajani@thenational.ae