Norway has provided a contribution of NOK 230 million to the Palestinian Authority (PA), in accordance with the commitment it made at the Paris Conference in December 2007. The contribution has been paid into the World Bank Trust Fund.
“The funds will be used for the benefit of the Palestinian people, including the hard-pressed civilian population in Gaza,” says Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
He continues: “Norway actively supported the setting up of the World Bank Trust Fund, which ensures broad international support for the Palestinian Authority. The Fund coordinates the contributions from the various donors, and follows up the way the funds are being used. The budget support disbursed by the Fund is used to implement the Palestinian Reform Development Plan.”
Norway was one of the first donor countries to contribute funds for 2009. The Palestinian Authority has very few possibilities for obtaining revenues.
“If the Palestinian economy is to be viable, Israel must lift restrictions on the free movement of goods and people,” says the Minister.
The Trust Fund pools the donors’ contributions and the disbursements are used for civil servants’ salaries and the running of hospitals, schools and other public services for the Palestinian people.
“The Palestinian Authority’s serious financial problems have been made even worse by the war in Gaza. As chair of the international donor group, Norway will invite donors to a meeting this spring to discuss the Palestinian economy,” says Mr Støre.