Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (front) welcomes her Palestinian Authority counterpart Mohammed Mustafa prior to their meeting at Palazzo Chigi in Rome on May 25 2024. (Photo by Filippo Monteforte / AFP)
Rome: Italy said Saturday it would resume funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), as Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa made a visit to Rome.
"Italy has decided to resume financing specific projects intended for assistance to Palestinian refugees," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.
Mustafa met with Tajani and then with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on what was his first trip to Europe since being appointed by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in March.
Tajani said he had informed Mustafa that Rome had "arranged new funding for the Palestinian population, of a total of 35 million euros ($38 million)".
"Of this, five million will be allocated to UNRWA," he said.
The remaining 30 million euros will be allocated to Italy's "Food for Gaza" initiative in coordination with UN aid agencies.
