Brussels, 17/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - Organised on Monday 17 December in Paris, the donors conference succeeded in attaining the goals for funding just as had the goals for peace, at the Annapolis conference. According to the French foreign affairs minister, Bernard Kouchner, almost USD 7.4bn (5.15bn) in aid had been promised and the delegations had therefore responded to the appeal by the Palestinian Authority, which hoped for USD 5.6bn over three years (70% in direct budgetary aid). Saudi Arabia will contribute 500 million over three years, whereas the US will contribute USD 555 million in 2008 (part has already been announced but not yet approved). France, Germany and Sweden are expected to provide USD 300 million each over three years and the United Kingdom, USD 490 million for supporting the creation of a Palestinian state.
The main aid donor to the Palestinians is the European Commission which announced aid of USD 650 million for 2008 (€440 million). Most of this (around 350 million) will go to implementation of the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan (PRDP). The rest (€115 million) will go to humanitarian aid or contribute to the UN budget for refugee aid (UNRWA). The European Commissioner for external relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, also explained that a new financial mechanism will be set up in February to direct this aid (Temporary International Mechanism - TIM). Established in 2006 to get round the presence of Hamas in the Palestinian government, TIMS will gradually be got rid of in March 2008. the Commissioner declared, “it is time to work directly with the Palestinian Authority”. The new mechanism, PEGASE (Palestinian-European Socio-Economic Aid Management Programme) will provide EU aid and that form other international donors directly to the Palestinian Authority or other public or private sector benefactors. The Commission is prepared to support the Palestinian Authority through other means, explained the Commissioner who also wants to, “strengthen the process of reforms and intensify the cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority”. (A.B.)