AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIANS IN LEBANON

MEDIA RELEASE, WEDNESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2010

On 1 September, Australian Chargé d’Affaires, Mr Trevor Peacock, visited Nahr El Bared Palestinian refugee camp to inspect the progress of reconstruction and meet with UNRWA staff and members of the community. Australia has donated over AUD3.5 million to assist Palestinian refugees in Lebanon since 2007, including AUD2.5 million towards reconstruction of the Nahr El Bared camp.

While in northern Lebanon, Mr Peacock visited the Community Based Rehabilitation Association (CBRA) on the outskirts of Nahr El Bared to inaugurate a project funded through the Australian Embassy’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) in 2009-10. The Embassy provided CBRA with USD10,000 for the purchase of physiotherapy equipment and rehabilitation tools, used in providing low-cost treatment to Palestinians with disabilities.

Mr Peacock commended UNRWA and CBRA for their professionalism and dedication to providing a better quality of life for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

“Australia is proud to have committed over AUD125 million in assistance to the Palestinian people since late 2007. I am particularly proud of the grassroots assistance the Australian Embassy has provided to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon during that period, including through this assistance to CBRA,” Mr Peacock said.

The Community Based Rehabilitation Association provides ongoing rehabilitation and therapy services to over 500 people with disabilities each year, including Palestinian refugees and Lebanese beneficiaries. The Association was among twelve organisations that received DAP funding in 2009-10.

The Australian Embassy’s Direct Aid Program provides grants of up to USD15,000 for development projects aimed at assisting vulnerable or disadvantaged groups in Lebanon. The Embassy is now accepting DAP grant applications for 2010-11.