RAMALLAH: Hundreds of millions of euros in European funds to support the Palestinian Territories can be paid out following the resolution of problems that had blocked their release, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday.
Payment of the funds had been held up by a dispute over proposals by the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, to condition funding on educational reform including the content of Palestinian school textbooks.
“I am glad to announce that the EU funds for 2021 can be disbursed rapidly,” she said during a visit to Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. “All the difficulties are gone. We have made clear the disbursement will take place.”
The European Commission, which contributes some 300 million euros a year along with other European states and institutions which contribute a similar amount, are together the largest donors to the Palestinian Territories, which had faced an increasing financial squeeze.
“Thank you for resuming your assistance to us. This is a day of happiness,” Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told von der Leyen.
Earlier, von der Leyen met Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem where she welcomed the prospect of increased cooperation in energy supplies and warned of the danger of food problems as a result of the war in Ukraine.
She said the EU had mobilized 25 million euros in immediate assistance to help the Palestinian Territories which are heavily dependent on imports of cereals from Ukraine.
Blocked European funds to Palestinian Territories to be released
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Blocked European funds to Palestinian Territories to be released
- Payment of the funds had been held up by a dispute over proposals by the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement
- The European Commission are together the largest donors to the Palestinian Territories
Qatari emir visits LNG exhibition in Doha
- LNG2026 runs until Feb. 5 and features more than 300 companies from the global LNG value chain
- Qatar plays a significant role in the LNG industry as one of the world’s leading producers
LONDON: Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani patronized the launch of the 21st International Conference and Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha this week.
LNG2026 runs until Feb. 5 and features more than 300 companies from the global LNG value chain, including production, processing, liquefaction, storage, transport, distribution and end-use applications.
It hosts a large 800 sq. meter QatarEnergy pavilion showcasing Qatar’s significant role in the LNG industry and its status as one of the world’s leading producers and exporters. Sheikh Tamim visited the exhibition pavilions, discussing innovations and technologies in the energy sector with senior officials from international companies, according to Qatar News Agency.
Digital technology plays a crucial role in the exhibition, highlighting companies that use AI, big data analytics and intelligent systems to improve LNG operations, QNA reported.
