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Additional €31 million from the EU to support the PA's drive to build the institutions of the future Palestinian State

Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Dr. Salam Fayyad, and the European Union Representative, Mr. Christian Berger, signed today a €31 million financing agreement to support the PA's institutions building agenda.

The European Union's financial support to the Palestinian Authority is designed both to help sustain the public services that the PA provides to the Palestinian people and to strengthen the institutions of the future Palestinian state. This new €31million financing package will continue the support to the building blocks of Palestinian statehood in sectors such as justice, security, economic and financial management, and social development. It is part of a wider €71 million investment package targeting crucial sectors such as governance, infrastructure and private sector development. It also complements EU direct financial support through contribution to the payment of the PA civil servants' salaries and social benefits.

" With this latest support we hope to boost the progress made in the past year in important sectors of governance. Tangible progress has been achieved in many walks of life and is now reality" , said the EU Representative Christian Berger. He added "this progress is a clear sign that the PA is succeeding in its aim of building the institutions of the future independent Palestinian State, but also promoting the economy, and public financial management. We will continue our support to the government's two-year plan toward achieving these goals. "

Background

Since 2007 the European Union has provided total assistance to the Palestinian people, including civil society organizations and refugees, averaging to €500 million annually. European funds support major reform and development programmes in key ministries, to help prepare the Palestinian Authority for statehood in line with the plan proposed in August 2009 by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The EU has expressed its political and financial support for PM Fayyad's plan. Further to this support and to some partial and insufficient easing of restrictions on movement and access in the West Bank, the reform agenda of Prime Minister Fayyad has translated into economic and social progress. The situation in Gaza remains however unsustainable.

For further information please contact:

The Office of the European Representative - Press Office:

Antonia Zafeiri 0548024915 & Shadi Othman 0599673958