RAMALLAH, July 7, 2011 (WAFA) – The French government Thursday pledged to support the Palestinian Authority (PA) with approximately $100 million in 2012, according to the Palestinian ministry of planning.

The funds will support development projects, humanitarian aid and the general budget of the PA, as well as other cooperative projects.

Minister of Planning Ali Jarbawi held consultations on Thursday with the French Consul General Frédéric Desagneaux and a high-level French delegation at the ministry’s headquarters in Ramallah.

The consultations, which are conducted annually, aimed to discuss the development programs and projects currently funded by the French government as well as projects it will fund next year, and to coordinate work between the PA and the French government to ensure the support of projects in accordance with Palestinian development priorities.

Jarbawi thanked the French government for its continued support of the PA and Palestinian people, particularly its latest political stance aiming to revive the peace process in the Middle East.

He also stressed the importance of annual consultations with donor countries.

Desagneaux expressed his country’s commitment to continue supporting the PA and the Palestinian people and presented the French government’s policy of helping to strengthen and build the capacity of Palestinian government institutions to be able to better manage public funds and provide services to Palestinians.

The support of the French government during 2008-2011 reached a total of $400 million for numerous development projects in the West Bank and Gaza, humanitarian relief programs and other  projects, as well as to support the general budget of the PA.

T.R./F.J.