EU to pledge €455m aid for Palestinians
The European Union will pledge €455m in aid to the Palestinians for 2008, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said today.
She was speaking before today’s conference in Paris of donor countries, where the Palestinians hope to collect aid pledges of €3.9bn over three years.
Ms Ferrero-Waldner could not say yet how much the EU – a key donor to the Palestinians – would contribute in 2009 and 2010 but said it would be a “high level”.
This year Europe contributed €980m to the Palestinians. About half of that came from the EU and the rest from member states.
Nearly 90 countries and international organisations are gathering in Paris to announce how much they are willing to spend to help revive the moribund Palestinian economy and build the institutions of a future Palestinian state.
Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad is asking for €3.9bn over three years. On the eve of the conference, he was optimistic, saying he was encouraged by statements of support.
The aid plea comes as Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have resumed after seven stalled years.
Ms Ferrero-Waldner and Mr Fayyad urged Arab states to do more. Since 2002, Arab League members have been promising the Palestinians €38m a month, put have not always paid in full.
“It is very important that they contribute to the burden-sharing,” the commissioner said.
The US has announced it is pledging about €352m for 2008. That money includes about €280m that the White House has already announced, but that has not been approved by Congress.
