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Guest seminar “UNRWA: challenges to neutrality, legitimacy and operation capacity in a politicised conflict”

The Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw invites to a guest seminar titled “UNRWA: challenges to neutrality, legitimacy and operation capacity in a politicised conflict”.

The seminar will be held online, in English, on January 19, at 11:30.
Registration form: https://forms.gle/EvW4JGPiyreuswdG7

The guest of the seminar will be Marc Lassouaoui, Senior Manager for Outreach Europe at the UNRWA Representative Office in Europe, an expert with over twenty years of experience within United Nations structures.

The discussion will focus on the challenges faced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in maintaining neutrality, legitimacy, and operational capacity. In an era of increasing polarization and highly politicized conflicts, this agency must fulfill its humanitarian mandate while contending with external pressure and resource constraints.

Since 2021, Marc Lassouaoui has served as Senior Manager for Outreach Europe at the UNRWA Representative Office in Europe (ROE). His role involves building partnerships and enhancing understanding of the Agency’s mission in European countries. He has been with UNRWA since 2001, holding several key positions during this time:

  • From 2016 to 2021, he led fundraising operations as Chief Donor Relations and Acting Director of Partnerships.
  • From 2011 to 2016, he served as Deputy Head of the UNRWA Representative Office in New York, where he was responsible for political analysis and reporting for the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.
  • Previously (2001–2011), he oversaw relations with partner governments in Europe, the USA, and the Persian Gulf region.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East was established by the UN General Assembly in 1949. Its mandate is to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in five operational areas: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The Agency is almost entirely funded by voluntary contributions from member states.