European Commission
MEMO
Brussels, 10 September 2015
New €88 million EU support to socio-economic development and institution-building in Palestine
The EU has adopted a package of measures worth a total of €88 million to support Palestine in some of the most pressing issues in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, as well as to support directly the Palestinian Authority. Following the Gaza conflict in summer 2014, and in line with the EU pledges announced at the Cairo Conference, the EU keeps contributing in 2015 to the recovery of the Gaza Strip, through four development programmes totalling €40 million:
• Support to governance at local and national levels (€10 million): Its objective is to build a Palestinian State based on the rule of law and respect of human rights. To achieve this, it will focus on measures helping the redeployment of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and support the administrative and institutional reunification of the Gaza Strip to the West Bank.
• Support to the private sector in Gaza (€10 million): Its overall objective is to ensure an inclusive, sustainable, private sector-led economic development in the Gaza Strip (under the assumption of a progressive opening of the Gaza crossing points). It intends to enhance the management capacities of the Palestinian Industrial Estates and Free Zones Authority and promote the re-location of businesses in the Gaza Industrial Estate.
• Support to sea water desalination plant (€10 million): by increasing its funding to this project, the EU seeks to further improve the poor health and socioeconomic conditions of the population in the Governorates of Khan Younis and Rafah resulting from the lack of safe drinking water.
• Support to East Jerusalem (€10 million): Building on previous experience, this annual programme aims at strengthening the resilience of the Palestinian East Jerusalem’s residents and preserving the Palestinian character of the city. This will be achieved by notably improving the quality of education, fostering youth and women professional skills, promoting active participation of Palestinian communities and civil society in the protection of the social, legal and economic rights. In addition to these programmes, the EU is providing further €48 million direct financial support to the Palestinian Authority. This support is channelled through PEGASE; and will also directly benefit the Gaza population.
For more information EU Delegation:
EU support to Palestine: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/neighbourhood/countries/palestine/index_en.htm
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/EU_100915a.pdf
Document Type: Arabic text, Press Release
Document Sources: European Commission, European Union (EU)
Subject: Access and movement, Assistance, Children, Economic issues, Education and culture, Environmental issues, Gaza Strip, Governance, Health, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Jerusalem, Living conditions, Water, Women
Publication Date: 14/09/2015