Japan-backed solar systems improve essential services for Palestine Refugees in Lebanon

Ending 2025 on a high note, UNRWA and the Government of Japan marked the successful completion of a solar power installation project at the Siblin Training Centre (STC) in southern Lebanon, bringing clean electricity to education, health, and water facilities to thousands of Palestine Refugee families across the country.

At the STC, one of UNRWA's technical and vocational education training (TVET) centres, the solar system now supplies electricity to the training campus and to two adjacent UNRWA schools. In the capital Beirut, solar power will now supply energy to UNRWA's main office, two UNRWA schools in the city as well as a nearby a health centre.

In addition, two water wells in Mar Elias camp, located in the southwest of Beirut, have been equipped with solar power to support water services for the area. Further in the south of the country, in El-Buss camp, solar systems were installed at an UNRWA health centre and X-ray facility, improving access to essential health services.

Electricity supply in Palestine Refugee camps has sharply deteriorated in recent years. Frequent grid outages, diesel shortages, and limited fuel budgets have made power highly unreliable. Japan's support introduces 1,180 kWp of clean energy, enough solar power to produce stable electricity for students to learn, and for essential UNRWA services to function without disruption.

Speaking at the launch of the solar project, Japan's Ambassador, Masayuki Magoshi, said, "By introducing renewable energy to key UNRWA facilities, Japan aims to strengthen the stability of communities and provide people, especially youth, with the capacity and skills to build a better future. This project reflects our unwavering commitment to human security and our support for essential services for Palestine Refugees."

Diesel generators have increasingly become the main source of electricity, driving up fuel costs and contributing to environmental and health concerns. These challenges directly affect classrooms, health centres, and water facilities that thousands of families rely on every day.

Reflecting on the impact of the project on refugee communities, UNRWA's Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus said, "We extend our sincere thanks to the Government of Japan for its continued contributions to UNRWA services, including in health and green infrastructure. Clean energy enhances the efficiency of UNRWA operations by reducing diesel consumption, lowering costs, and protecting the environment - support that is especially crucial to help us maintain services for thousands of Palestine Refugee families amid the current financial challenges."

Japan's long-standing partnership with UNRWA continues to bring meaningful improvements to the daily lives of Palestine Refugee families in Lebanon.

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UNRWAis the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency's area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.

UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on.

UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

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