Palestinians' Donors Conference Calls For "Further Efforts"

from The World Bank

“A conference in Paris of donors to the Palestinian Authority called on donors, Palestinians and Israelis to make ‘further efforts’ to boost the Palestinian economy.

The co-Chairs of the conference, Middle East Quartet envoy Tony Blair and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, said in a statement: ‘The total amount of aids pledged in Paris has now reached $7.7 billion’ compared to the $7.4 billion announced December 17 after the Paris conference.

But ‘while recognizing there has been some improvement in the Palestinian economy following the Paris Conference’, the co-Chairs noted that further efforts by all parties are required. The situation in Gaza is a source of great economic and humanitarian preoccupation. …” [Agence France Presse/Factiva]

AP reports that “…They also encouraged donors who are still firming up their support to give some to security projects for financing equipment, infrastructure, and training of personnel, according to the statement. …The money is for budgetary support, development projects and humanitarian assistance by aid groups, and it comes in support of a plan laid out by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ government. …” [The Associated Press/Factiva]

In additional Palestinians related news, AP notes that “International agencies on Tuesday asked donor countries for $462 million in aid to the Palestinians for 2008, to counter rising poverty and the closure of Gaza by Israel and Egypt.

The appeal came from UN aid agencies and dozens of non-governmental organizations. If the money is granted, the Palestinians would become the third largest recipient of such aid after Sudan and Congo, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. … The UN said most of the aid in 2008 would be used for food distribution and job creation. …”