February 2010

In 2009, USAID, through the Infrastructure Needs Program (INP), constructed and rehabilitated close to 63 kilometers of roads, two large water project systems, and built and furnished seven schools in record time for the current school year.

The INP is a $358 million program designed to provide critical infrastructure projects in the West Bank. The projects include the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure required for a functioning Palestinian state, while additional benefits include job creation and economic growth.
Ongoing projects, worth $177 million, consist of approximately 180 kilometers of new roads and 23 water projects. This includes eight road projects, worth nearly $19 million, in Jericho in the West Bank. The projects in Jericho consist of approximately 33 kilometers of new road, as well as new sidewalks and new road safety features, such as traffic signs and guard rails.

Dr. Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian Authority’s Chief Negotiator with Israel, Member of the Executive Committee of PLO, and a resident of Jericho, described the INP infrastructure projects as “critical for building a viable Palestinian State that lives in peace with all its neighbors.” Dr. Erekat added, “I met President Obama four times and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton nine times and they expressed their commitment to establishing a Palestinian State.” Dr. Erekat expressed his appreciation to USAID Mission Director Howard Sumka and the Water and Infrastructure Office for their commitment in building needed infrastructure in Palestine.

Dr. Erekat sees the INP as a reflection of the joint commitment by President Obama and Secretary Clinton. He explained that as a former minister of local government, he observed that 400 out of 600 communities in the West Bank lacked basic drinking water and electricity. Therefore, he believes that infrastructure will pave the way for a future Palestinian State.

Dr. Erekat aspires to live in a Palestine, where law and government accountability prevail, human rights are respected, women assume a rightful place in the society, and the state lives in peace with its neighbors. USAID’s efforts to build infrastructure are consistent with this vision.

At the community level, Hassan Saleh, the Mayor of Jericho, summed up the significance of the road projects: “ Jericho is one of the major cities in the West Bank. It witnessed the emergence of six new neighborhoods since 1996 and it is home to 10,000 members of the Palestinian Authority’s security forces. Approximately 1 million travelers will use the new roads on their way to Jordan, in addition to approximately 2 million local and international tourists who visit the city’s 20 parks and 113 religious and historic sites.”