ECONOMIC GROWTH

• Palestine Investment Conference Draws 2,000 Participants:  The Palestinian Authority held its second Palestine Investment Conference (PIC) to highlight investment opportunities in Palestine and bring international business representatives together with their Palestinian counterparts.  USAID was a partner organization, providing nearly $500,000 of in-kind support and organizing a number of activities at the PIC.  Senator George Mitchell headed the US Delegation, which included Deputy Secretary of Treasury, Neil Wollin, and USAID COO, Alonzo Fulgham.  In the IT sector, USAID announced partnerships with Cisco and a local internet provider, Coolnet, as well as the expansion of its infrastructure programs.

• Gaza Business Sector:  At the Palestine Investment Conference, USAID organized a meeting with a delegation of Gaza businessmen.  The aim was to discuss possible USAID interventions in Gaza under the current situation and also under improved scenarios that would allow USAID to do more in Gaza.  Businessmen from the finance, construction, industry, information technology (IT) and services sectors articulated their needs and the problems they confront.  The group agreed to elaborate on several proposals and reconvene in July with USAID and its private sector projects to discuss possible interventions.  USAID’s Trade Facilitation Project (TFP) helped organize the session.

WATER RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

• Roads Handed Over to the Palestinian Authority:  USAID handed over three reconstructed roads to the Palestinian Authority (PA), enhancing traffic safety and mobility, improving economic opportunities and easing the movement of people and goods from one community to another.  The Atarah-Ramallah (13.1 kilometres or 8.14 miles) road connects the northern West Bank with Ramallah, serving more than 300,000 people.  It improves access to Beir Zeit University, one of the largest universities in West Bank.  The Sinjel-Jaljulia road (3.5 km or 2.18 mi) connects the villages of Sinjel and Jaljulia with surrounding villages in the Ramallah Governorate.  The Jericho southern entrance road (2.4 km or 1.5 mi) is one of the two main entrances to Jericho city.  It is heavily used by Jericho tourists and by those crossing into Jordan.  USAID’s $358 million Infrastructure Needs Program supports the PA’s efforts to improve critical infrastructure throughout the West Bank, including the construction and rehabilitation of roads, water and wastewater systems, schools, and other facilities.  The three roads cost approximately $5.7 million.  The construction generated about ten thousand person-days of work for Palestinians in the area.

• Rehabilitation of Three Clinics in Salfeet District:  USAID rehabilitated three Ministry of Health clinics in three villages in the Salfeet District north of the West Bank.  The rehabilitation works included plastering, painting, electrical installations, and upgrading of the water and sanitation systems.  More than 12,000 people benefit from the services of the clinics.  USAID contributed $65,000 to upgrade the clinics.  The project was implemented by American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) under the Emergency Water and Sanitation and Other Infrastructure Program (EWAS II).

DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE

• Galvanizing Palestinian Citizens to Vote:  USAID’s local Democratic Reform (LDP) Program is working with communities in the West Bank to raise awareness and educate voters on the importance of voting in the upcoming municipal elections.  LDR has engaged with Palestinian youth and formed youth voting networks, which hold town hall meetings to raise voter awareness in their communities.  So far, a total of 15 awareness raising workshops have been held, reaching out to over 600 community members.  As part of its community outreach strategy, LDR is also utilizing creative communication methods such as theater performances to spread the election message.

HEALTH AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

• The Palestinian Ministry of Health Demonstrates the New Health Information System:  Developed with support from USAID’s Palestinian Health Sector Reform and Development Project (The Flagship Project), attendance at the first Palestine Medical Fair, MEDIPAL, observed a demonstration of the new health information system.  The Flagship Project’s booth at the fair was designed to simulate a hospital environment.  Over 3,500 individuals attended the event, which provided an opportunity to share the significance of a comprehensive national health information system to health care professionals and the public at large.  The integrated and automated HIS will underpin the Ministry’s reform agenda for Palestinian health care.