Days after the United States unblocked some $500 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority, the European Union followed suit.
The EU pledged on Wednesday (March 27) €148 million ($190 million) to provide social services to the Palestinian people.
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President Catherine Ashton said in a statement: “With this contribution the European Union delivers on its promise to sustain the PA’s viability and its ability to ensure essential services for the Palestinian people without interruption.”
About €108 million is set to help the Palestinian Authority finance its budget deficit, pay civil service employees and pensioners, and implement its reforms.
A second tranche of €40 million will support programs of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
This comes on top of an earlier EU pledge to the Palestinian Authority of €100 million.
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About the author
John Alliage Morales
As a former Devex staff writer, John Alliage Morales covered the Americas, focusing on the world's top donor hub, Washington, and its aid community. Prior to joining Devex, John worked for a variety of news outlets including GMA, the Philippine TV network, where he conducted interviews, analyzed data, and produced in-depth stories on development and other topics.
