05 DECEMBER 2013
The European Union continues its support for the Palestinian Authority with an
€11 million EU and Dutch contribution for the payment of November salaries and pensions
Today the European Union has contributed approximately €11 million to the payment of the November salaries and pensions of around 71,000 Palestinian civil servants and pensioners in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This contribution, made through the PEGASE[1] mechanism, is funded by the European Union (€10.0 million) and the Government of the Netherlands (c.€1.0 million earmarked specifically for Palestinian Authority (PA) salaries in the Justice sector).
For many year the EU has been the biggest donor and most reliable partner to the Palestinian Authority. Today’s contribution to salaries and pensions is further evidence of our unimpeded support for the Palestinian people which will continue in 2014. Palestinian statehood is critical for any peaceful, workable and lasting solution to the Middle East Peace Process. The EU’s investment in institution-building work at the PA is contributing significantly towards that end. The EU continues to support a negotiated solution to the conflict and will make every effort to ensure that on-going negotiations can succeed, said the EU Representative Mr. John Gatt-Rutter.
Background
Most of the European Union’s assistance to the Palestinian Authority is channelled through PEGASE, the financial mechanism launched in 2008 to support the PA Reform and Development Plan (20082010) and the subsequent PA Palestinian National Plan (2011-2013). As well as helping to meet a substantial proportion of its running costs, European funds support major reform and development programmes in key ministries, to help prepare the PA for statehood. Since February 2008, around €1.57 billion have been disbursed through the PEGASE Direct Financial Support programmes. In addition, the EU has provided assistance to the Palestinian people through UNRWA and a wide range of cooperation projects.
[1]Mécanisme Palestino-Européen de Gestion de l’Aide Socio-Economique (PEGASE)
Contacts:
The Office of the European Union Representative:
Antonia Zafeiri (02 5415 859, 0548 024 915) & Shadi Othman (02 5415 867, 0599 673 958)
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/PR262013a.pdf
Document Type: Arabic text, Press Release
Document Sources: European Union (EU)
Country: Netherlands
Subject: Assistance, Governance, International presence, Population
Publication Date: 05/12/2013