Brussels, 13/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 12 February, the European Union announced the release of the first €212 million tranche of aid from its 2015 financial support to the Palestinian Authority and United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This funding will enable basic services to be provided such as education, health care, and social services to the Palestinian people.
A sum of €130 million from these funds will be earmarked for the direct support of the Palestinian Authority through the PEGASE mechanism (the Palestinian-European mechanism for the management of socio-economic aid), which helps the Palestinian Authority build the institutions of the future independent Palestinian state. And as announced by European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn on 10 February (see EUROPE 11251), the remaining €82 million will go to UNRWA to help Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
The EU gives around €300 million to the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA every year, which makes it one of the main donors. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)