WATER SANITATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

• Eight Schools Renovated in Jenin Governorate:  USAID completed the renovation of eight schools in the Jenin area as part of a larger joint Palestinian Authority and USG effort to create local employment and improve the living conditions for residents.  At a total cost of $1.1 million, these schools benefit 20,508 students.  The renovation activities created 14,700 person days of employment.

economic growth

• Efforts to Improve Procedures at the Allenby Crossing:  USAID sponsored a meeting to discuss the Palestinian–Jordanian crossing facility at Allenby.  Representatives of the Palestinian private sector, Israeli Customs, Israeli Civil Administration and the World Bank attended the meeting, which continued discussions of issues raised at a USAID-sponsored forum last April.  Discussions focused on containerization, operating hours, agreements, valuation, standards requirements, and bank guarantees.

democracy and governance

• Financial Capacity and Accountability of Ministry of Justice Strengthened:  Five PA Ministry of Justice finance staff received training on the content of a financial manual aimed at strengthening the financial capacity and accountability of the ministry.  Training covered procedures and forms including purchasing, fixed assets, cash management, revenues, expenses, accounting, budgeting and internal audits.  USAID’s Rule of Law Project developed the manual.

• PA Ministry of Transportation Improves Communication with the Public:  USAID’s Palestinian Authority Capacity Enhancement Project assisted the Palestinian Ministry of Transportation with celebrating the ‘Arab Traffic Week.’  This year’s celebrations included the first partnership activity between the Ministry of Transportation and the Higher Council of Traffic.  USAID provided the Higher Council of Traffic with 40 banners running the slogan, "unsafe passing ... uncertain future."  The banners were distributed in the West Bank governorates as part of the event's activities.  This assistance comes within the efforts of the project to increasing communication between the PA institutions and the public on one hand, and raising public awareness in regards to the importance of safe roads and passing on the other hand.