Poland donates vaccines to Palestine
21.02.2022
Poland sent 300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Palestine. Like Poland, Palestine is now facing the largest growth in the number of cases since the onset of the pandemic. Of the total Palestinian population of less than five million, 32 per cent have received full vaccination, and the daily numbers of new recorded cases exceed 10,000.
Poland and Palestine enjoy a cordial relationship we have been seeking to foster in all areas. This year marks the 40th anniversary of establishing our diplomatic relations.
Since 2005, Palestine has continuously been among the major partners of Polish development cooperation. With the resources provided to them from the Polish Aid programme, Polish non-governmental organisations and the Representation of the Republic of Poland to Ramallah have implemented development projects in cooperation with local partners. In 2021, their activities focused on supporting the emergency and health care system in the West Bank, and on the inclusion of, and assistance to, people with disabilities. A humanitarian project was also put in place to safeguard food security and shelter for the people living in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the Polish diplomatic mission carried out initiatives aimed to support the local communities in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Since 2007, Poland has also been ceaseless in supporting the efforts of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) through multilateral contributions to the general budget or in response to specific requests for help to meet the most urgent needs. In 2021, Poland donated PLN 2 million, and its total contribution to the UNRWA in 2007–2021 neared PLN 20 million.
Poland also continued to support the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in 2021 by making a contribution of PLN 300,000.
In 2021, Poland’s total support to Palestine from the budget of Polish Aid exceeded PLN 5.7 million.
This is the first time Poland has extended help to Palestine in the form of vaccines to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, Palestine is not the only country to have received Poland’s aid in this respect. The recent months have seen transfers of vaccines to Cambodia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Kenya, Ukraine, Laos, and the Philippines, to mention only some of the assisted countries. Such measures are possible thanks to cooperation with the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health, and the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves.
MFA Press Office
