Finland Ends Multi-Year Funding Agreement With UNRWA

The Government of Finland will not renew its multi-year funding agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after it expires this year. Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio announced the decision, ending a 20-million-euro agreement signed in March 2023 that provided five million euros in annual humanitarian assistance.

Tavio stated that while the total level of funding for Palestinian territories will not decrease, the money will be redirected through alternative channels, such as the World Food Programme and a new United Nations Palestine reconstruction fund. This decision follows a period of volatility in 2024, during which Finland suspended funding over allegations that 12 UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, before briefly reinstating support in March 2024.

The Foreign Ministry of Israel and Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon praised the move, characterizing UNRWA as a "hotbed of terrorism" with "inseparable links to Hamas." Danon called on other nations to join Finland in defunding the agency. In response, the office of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stated that UNRWA has noted the announcement and continues to encourage member states to support its humanitarian work.