Philippe Lazzarini
Commissioner-General
UNRWA
Philippe Lazzarini is a Swiss national who has served as Commissioner-General of UNRWA since April 2020, having been appointed in March of that year. He has led the agency through one of its most challenging periods, navigating funding crises, political attacks on the agency's mandate, and the unprecedented humanitarian emergency in Gaza from October 2023.
Philippe Lazzarini has been at the centre of the debate over the future of UNRWA and the humanitarian response in Palestine. Under his leadership, the agency has faced existential threats, including the suspension of funding by multiple donor governments in early 2024 and Israeli legislation to restrict its operations. Lazzarini has been a vocal advocate for the protection of Palestinian refugees and for the political necessity of UNRWA’s mandate.