EU grants P.A €40 M. for Public Services

Thursday August 21, 2008 12:32 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

 The Associated Press reported on Thursday that the European Union (EU) gave the Palestinian Authority an additional €40 Million in order to ensure public services are provided to the Palestinian people. The EU announcement was made by the European Commissioner on Wednesday. 

The new funding will be used for salaries, pensions, aid to families in need and fuel to the Gaza Electric Power plant which was repeatedly shelled by Israel.

 This donation is added to €440 Million which the European Commission pledged to the P.A during a donors’ conference which was held in December 2007.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, E.U. External Relations Commissioner, stated that the new funding is a clear indication that the EU is committed to aiding the Palestinian people.

 Moreover, EU Commission spokesperson, Martin Selmayr, stated that the EU had lived to its Paris pledge and called on all other countries to live up to their pledges.

Officials of the International Donor’s conference said during the Paris Conference last month that the international community paid approximately $1 billion  

The donor countries pledged during the conference to transfer $7.7 billion to the Palestinian Authority to be delivered over three years.

 Also, the EU Commission also said that it launched a €37 Million program which will be funded from the original €440 million pledge. This money is to be used to upgrade Palestinian infrastructure in the Palestinian areas, including law enforcement and electricity supplies.

 Part of the money will be used in building a new security forces headquarters in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

palestine | international politics | news report saed at imemc dot org