Luxembourg's development cooperation - Annual report 2017

The Occupied Palestinian Territories* have a special status similar to Luxembourg’s development cooperation’s partner countries. As in previous years, in 2017 Luxembourg’s development cooperation supported Palestinian civil society via four local NGOs: the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee (PARC) in the agriculture and sustainable development sector, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) in the sector of reproductive health for women, the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) in the transparency and good governance sector, plus an additional NGO, the Teacher Creativity Centre (TCC) in the sector of specific training for teachers in Palestinian schools in Jerusalem. Negotiations are underway with these four NGOs to ensure the continuation and/or creation of new projects in 2018.

The largest part of the contribution to the OPT is the annual contribution to the UNRWA of 4 500 000 euros for 2017. Apart from its voluntary contribution of 3 750 000 euros, Luxembourg’s development cooperation contributes the sum of 750 000 euros to the “Healthy Life and Lifestyle for Youth in West Bank and Gaza” project, a project focusing on reproductive health and combating diabetes in children and young teenagers. In addition, an extraordinary contribution of 1 000 000 euros was paid to the agency in order to enable it to carry out its essential activities. More than ever, the UN agency has shown itself to be a reliable partner to over 5,8 million Palestinians.

* The Occupied Palestinian Territories are to be considered as one of the main partner countries of Luxembourg’s development cooperation as specified in Article 3 of the Grand-Ducal Regulation of 7 August 2012 setting intervention thresholds, the annual financial ceiling, the local non-financial contribution and the audit obligations as part of the co-financing of programmes or projects presented by non-governmental development organisations under the modified law of 6 January 1996 on development cooperation and humanitarian action.