Palestine and France today signed a €10-million agreement in support of the health, water, energy and the civil society sectors.
The agreement was signed by Finance Minister Shukri Bishara, who represented the Palestinian government, and the French Consul General in Jerusalem, René Troccaz, and the French Development Agency (AFD) Director, Catherine Bonnard, who represented the French government.
The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and held at his office in Ramallah.
Shtayyeh commended France’s ongoing financial and political support for Palestine.
He stated that Palestine’s relationship with France is not just about financial support, but it is also about political support, and expressed his appreciation of France’s political position on the Palestine question, whether expressed at the United Nations or the European Union, particularly its unequivocal rejection of Israel’s annexation plan.
As part of the agreement, Shtayyeh explained, €1.3 million would be allocated to help the Health Ministry purchase medication and equipment to fight the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, while the remainder is allocated to the civil society organizations and help carry out a study on water and alternative energy in Tubas and al-Yamoun towns in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley.
Meanwhile, Troccaz stated that his country stands by Palestine amid the coronavirus pandemic, and reiterated its ongoing support to various Palestinian sectors, such as renewable energy, in line with the government’s priorities outlined in the national development plan.
