Press Release
State Secretary of Sweden Visits UNDP Projects and Signs Agreement
in Support of Area C and East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem, 18 May 2015 – In the presence of State Secretary of Sweden, Ulrika Modéer, the Consul General of Sweden, Ann-Sofie Nilsson, and UNDP Special Representative of the Administrator, Frode Mauring, signed a USD 3.6 million agreement (SEK 30 million) to support the resilience of Palestinians residing in Area C and East Jerusalem.
The signing ceremony marks the third phase of the Community Resilience and Development Programme (CRDP) implemented by UNDP, with funds from the Governments of Sweden, Austria, Norway and the United Kingdom.
Accompanied by Frode Mauring, UNDP Special Representative of the Administrator, State Secretary of Sweden, Ulrika Modéer, visited the Bedouin community of Maghayer Ad-Dier, where she was briefed on CRDP’s interventions and the threat of forcible transfer of Palestinian Bedouin communities.
"I'm deeply worried about the situation. There is a responsibility to support the rights and basic needs of Palestinians living in Area C and East Jerusalem", said Ulrika Modéer, Swedish State Secretary for International Development Cooperation. "With support, they – not the least the Bedouin communities – will be better equipped to stay, meet the challenges ahead and make better use of the resources in the area".
Led by the Palestinian Government and guided by the engagement strategy, the Community Resilience and Development Programme (CRDP) is an important instrument utilized to support the resilience of the Palestinian population, improve their livelihoods, and empower them to advance development in the State of Palestine.
During this phase, the programme will use a community driven cluster approach in order to identify the needs of the targeted population and develop interventions that empower local communities and strengthen their resilience. Partnerships and modalities of implementation will be carefully designed in order to facilitate a complementary approach and a transitional process from humanitarian interventions towards development.
“The potential development opportunities in Area C are immense,” said Frode Mauring, UNDP Special Representative of the Administrator. “UNDP, through this programme, is supporting the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people, improve their livelihoods and empower them to advance development in their communities, “he added.
The projects funded through the third round of CRDP are geared towards safeguarding livelihoods and empowering local communities in various marginalized localities in Area C and East Jerusalem. The programme will target a number of sectors including economic empowerment, public and social infrastructure, access to and protection of natural resources.
Sweden has been a long-standing supporter of the Palestinian people. In October last year, when the Swedish government recognized the State of Palestine, it also adopted a new five year strategy for development cooperation with the State of Palestine, increasing the support by 50%. Swedish support to the State of Palestine amounts to around USD 100 million yearly (development support and humanitarian).
Contact Information
Dania Darwish, Communications Specialist, Tel. +972-2-6268229 – e-mail: dania.darwish@undp.org. For more information on UNDP/PAPP see http://www.ps.undp.org.
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/UNDP_SWEDENAREACa.pdf
Document Type: Arabic text, Press Release
Document Sources: UNDP Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Country: Sweden
Subject: Assistance, Internally displaced persons, Jerusalem, Living conditions
Publication Date: 18/05/2015