US Assistant Secretary of State Eric Schwartz announced on Friday that his country would provide an additional $55-million dollars to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The US donated $30-million to UNRWA's general fund—which provides services to Palestinian refugees across the region—and $25-million for its emergency program for the West Bank and Gaza.

This will bring total US contributions to UNRWA thus far in fiscal year 2010 to $95-million, while in 2009 the US provided $267-million to the agency.  

-AFP/NOW Lebanon