RAMALLAH, June 25, 2011 (WAFA) – The European Union will contribute on Monday with €9.8 millions, funded by the EU (€8.8 million) and the Government of Ireland (€1 million), to the Palestinian Authority's quarterly payment of social allowances to poor Palestinian households in the West Bank and Gaza, said EU in a press release.
According to the press release, the contribution will directly benefit 49,578 eligible Palestinian families; 26,185 are in Gaza, through a cash allowance. The beneficiaries are identified in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Social Affairs, through the latter's national cash assistance programme; a programme designed to provide basic safety net to the poorest and most vulnerable Palestinian citizens.
'Through its diverse programmes reaching-out to the poorest and most marginalized populations, the Ministry of Social Affairs seeks to alleviate poverty and promote a life with dignity for its most vulnerable citizens. The national cash transfer programme is at the forefront of the Ministry's activities, with over 87,000 households in the West Bank and Gaza benefiting from regular cash-based assistance,” said the Palestinian Minister of Social Affairs in the press release.
He added that “the Ministry of Social Affairs is consistently looking to improve the level and quality of services provided to its beneficiaries, while upholding their dignity. For this reason, and starting with this payment, assistance will be channel through individual bank accounts for beneficiaries in the West Bank. We thank all stakeholders involved in the process, and in particular the European Union for is support to this programme.'
The European Union Representative, Christian Berger, said in the press release, 'Firstly, I would like to thank Ireland for its generous contribution to the programme, which attests the fruitful cooperation between the EU and its Member States in supporting the Palestinian Authority in its state-building plan.”
“Over the last period we have seen a number of joint achievements in the road of building a strong Ministry of Social Affairs; the latest being the adoption of a business strategy for the coming couple of years. I am certain that with the EU's regular contribution to the payment of social allowances and its capacity-building support we will soon see the materialization of a comprehensive social protection scheme able to support effectively all Palestinians in need,” he added.
The Payments will be made across of a network of five local banks through the West Bank and Gaza; in the West Bank, beneficiaries will receive the money directly through their individual bank accounts, for first time since social cash transfers have been established, said the press release.
In Gaza, however, beneficiaries will continue to collect their allowance over-the-counter. Both in the West Bank and Gaza, beneficiaries can collect the money on Monday, June 27 at the bank branch indicated by their social worker, EU said.
The press release said that the PA received the donation through PEGASE, a financial mechanism launched in 2008 to support the three-year Reform and Development Plan presented in 2007. European funds support major reform and development programmes in key ministries to meet a substantial proportion of the funds’ running costs to help prepare PA for statehood, in accordance to Prime Minister Salam Fayyad’s plan in 2009.
Since February 2008, €1.03 billion have been disbursed through the PEGASE Direct Financial Support programmes. In addition, the EU has provided assistance to the Palestinian people through UNRWA and a wide range of cooperation projects, added the press release.
R.Q./F.R.
