USAID funds new road rehabilitation activities in Jericho – USAID press release/Non-UN document

Jericho, West Bank – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) held a groundbreaking ceremony in Jericho on Monday to launch new road rehabilitation activities under USAID’s Job Opportunity through Basic Services (JOBS) Program. USAID Mission Director Howard Sumka and representatives from ANERA attended the event that was carried out under the auspices of Palestinian Chief Negotiator Sa’eb Erekat. The Governor of Jericho and the Jordan Valley and the Mayor of Jericho were also present.

USAID is funding a $1 million project to construct and rehabilitate Jericho roads, including asphalting, street painting, and providing signs and provisions for street lighting. This initiative will improve access within the town of Jericho and enhance the level of basic services provided by the municipality, thus stimulating the tourism industry. The construction of the roads is also expected to generate 5,000 person-days of employment.

The Job Opportunity through Basic Services (JOBS) program is an $8 million program funded by USAID and implemented by ANERA. The program intends to create quick-starting jobs for unemployed men and women and distribute these short-term job opportunities among a wide number of needy individuals. In addition, JOBS program builds and develops small-scale infrastructure to benefit Palestinian communities. USAID’s JOBS program will benefit more than 190,000 Palestinians and create over 76,000 days of employment in the West Bank.
Since 1993, USAID has spent more than $1.7 billion in the West Bank and Gaza to combat poverty, create jobs, improve education, build roads and water systems, construct and equip medical clinics, and promote good governance.