EU and Netherlands contribute €16.1 million to PA’s payment of April salaries and pensions – EU press release/Non-UN document

The EU and The Netherlands contribute €16.1 million to the PA's payment of April salaries and pensions

05 May 2015 

The European Union and the Netherlands are making today a contribution of approximately €16.1 million for the payment of April salaries and pensions of around 68,000 Palestinian civil servants and pensioners in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This contribution, which is channelled through the PEGASE[1] mechanism, is being funded by the European Union (€15.0 million) and the Government of The Netherlands (c.€1.1 million earmarked specifically for PA salaries in the justice sector).

"Today's substantial contribution to the payment of salaries and pensions by the PA demonstrates once more the EU's unwavering support for the Palestinian people. This is based on a firm belief in the two-state vision as the only solution able to bring about peace, security and prosperity" said the EU Representative Mr. John Gatt-Rutter. "Our continuing support for the Palestinian Authority is a part of our overall efforts to build the institutions of a future Palestinian State. This support goes hand in hand with a commitment by the PA to continue on the path of reform and pursue efforts to bring about the reunification of Palestinian institutions and governance structures in Gaza under the full authority of the National Consensus Government. The EU and the PA met last week in Ramallah at the annual Joint Committee to review progress by the PA in carrying out such reforms. The contribution of the Government of the Netherlands, for its part, demonstrates once more the confidence that the Netherlands has in the EU's PEGASE mechanism as a cost-effective and efficient means of supporting the Palestinian Authority", he added.

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 (2008-2010) and subsequent Palestinian national plans. 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 €1.8 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:
Shadi Othman (02 5415 867, 0599 673 958)
http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/westbank/