As part of this official visit, which will take place 9-14 February, Mr. Moreira da Silva will meet national authorities and development cooperation partners. He will discuss the practical solutions that UNOPS offers to support crisis response, early recovery and long-term reconstruction and development in Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon and Syria.

As the region goes through a period of profound transformation, the visit is aimed at better understanding the needs in order to support operations, and reinforcing the United Nations ongoing commitment to peace and security, humanitarian and development priorities across the region.

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, UNOPS is working to enable the overall humanitarian and early recovery response through several initiatives. This includes the delivery, monitoring and distribution of fuel which since the ceasefire has picked up tenfold. Currently, approximately 1 million litres of fuel per day is provided for the entire humanitarian operation in Gaza, as well as for essential services such as hospitals and clinics, telecoms and bakeries.

UNOPS also manages the UN2720 Mechanism, which aims to expedite, streamline and accelerate the process of providing assistance to Gaza and to help ensure that aid continues to reach its civilian destination. On behalf of the UN system, we continue to coordinate and manage access through the Access Support Unit.

Together with the UN Mine Action Service, UNOPS mitigates the dangers of landmines and unexploded ordnance.

And, beyond the acute humanitarian response in Gaza, UNOPS continues long-term infrastructure and development support to the Palestinian Authority, such as the construction of a vocational school in Yatta, Hebron.

In Syria, UNOPS has remained in the country throughout the last decade, delivering projects amid ongoing conflicts. We have been addressing some of the most critical challenges affecting the Syrian population both in Syria and within the neighbouring countries and host communities.

Our work in Syria has been wide-ranging. We helped remove chemical weapons in 2014 and provided operational support to UN partners including the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and UN-HABITAT. In Syria, UNOPS also supports humanitarian mine action, and we help rehabilitate educational and health infrastructure, providing renewable energy solutions, and procuring medical equipment and supplies.

And in Lebanon, we have helped strengthen the health system and provide reliable energy supply to several public hospitals. We have also been working with partners to restore vital public services and infrastructure following the Port of Beirut blast in 2020. This includes work on water, sanitation and energy, while also promoting social cohesion and addressing the needs of underserved communities.

Additionally, UNOPS is supporting a government-led initiative to improve waste management and promote a circular economy. The project will reduce pollution, including hazardous pollutants from open waste burning, and protect biodiversity, addressing an issue exacerbated by recent conflict.