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European Union assistance to the
Palestinian people in 2007 tops $1 billion
At a meeting between the Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad,
members of the Government and the Representatives of
donor Governments and international organisations in
Ramallah on Tuesday 24 July, the European Commission
announced a decision taken in Brussels the same day to
allocate a further $123 million for assistance to the
Palestinian people. Together with generous allocations
by its different member countries, this decision brings
total European Union assistance so far in 2007 to over
$1 billion, which is more than the assistance that was
given in the whole of 2006.
Just over half of the funds for 2007 have been donated
by the European Union through the European Commission,
with the rest being donated bilaterally by the
individual countries which make up the EU. Almost $500
million has been spent on keeping the PA running,
through contributions to PA employees and other
operating costs of the Government. About $250 million
has been allocated to helping Palestinian refugees
through contributions to UNRWA. The rest has been
divided equally between humanitarian assistance on the
one hand and development projects on the other.
Speaking after the Ramallah meeting, the European
Commission's Head of Operations in Jerusalem, Roy
Dickinson, said: "We have been impressed by the decisive
steps which the Government has already taken to put the
public finances in better order." More than half of the
EU's new funds for the Palestinian people have been
allocated since Dr Fayyad took over at the Ministry of
Finance. "But it was clear from the discussion that the
Government still faces huge challenges, and still needs
considerable help from donor countries."
The European Union is by far the biggest source of
international support to the Palestinian people. In
2005, it provided around $880 million of assistance. In
2006, that figure went up to around $980 million. And in
the first seven months of 2007 alone, the EU has
committed $1,080 million: the equivalent of $250 for
every Palestinian woman, man and child.
"This new allocation of funds from the European
Commission is a clear demonstration of the European
Union's unswerving commitment to the Palestinian
people," said Dickinson. "And it is a sign of the EU's
enduring hope that Palestinians will soon enjoy greater
peace and prosperity." |
