USAID for West Bank/Gaza

Overview

The United States is the leading provider of bilateral economic and development assistance to the Palestinians, having provided more than $2.9 billion since 1994 for programs in the areas of water and sanitation, infrastructure, education, health care, economic growth, and democracy. The United States is also committed to continuing assistance for basic human needs in both the West Bank and Gaza, including emergency food, health care, and access to safe water and sanitation systems. In Gaza, USAID works closely with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and local and international nongovernmental organizations.

Programs

Economic Growth
The USAID economic growth program promotes business and agricultural development and job creation through technical assistance and grants to the private sector. USAID supports Palestinian efforts to increase exports, enable investment and lending, generate employment, and improve quality standards. The U.S. Government is also easing the movement of Palestinian people and goods, while improving Israel’s security.

Infrastructure
Road, water, and school construction projects all contribute to improvements in the infrastructure sector. In 2010, USAID plans to construct more than 120 kilometers of main arterial and secondary road segments throughout the West Bank. In the water sector, USAID supports not only rapid response and emergency relief capabilities, but also fundamental infrastructure improvements, including expanding access to safe drinking water and sanitation in rural areas, reducing losses from aging water systems, constructing or expanding pipelines and reservoirs to improve water distribution, developing new water resources, and procuring water commodities and construction and engineering management services.

Humanitarian Assistance
To respond to emergencies and reduce poverty, the United States provides emergency food, health care, and access to safe water and sanitation to the people in the West Bank and Gaza. The U.S. Government also contributes to the WFP and to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s West Bank and Gaza Emergency Appeal. In 2009, USAID responded to the humanitarian crisis and provided food and nonfood humanitarian assistance in Gaza. In addition, through a grant to the WFP, USAID is providing food assistance to vulnerable non-refugee families in the West Bank and Gaza.

Investing in People
USAID works to improve the ability of the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health and local health care organizations to meet the public health needs of Palestinian families. Of particular concern is the health of the most vulnerable Palestinians, including women of reproductive age and children under five. In 2010, USAID is renovating four major hospitals in the West Bank.

USAID supports early childhood and basic education to help prepare Palestinian children for a more productive future. This year, USAID will focus on educational quality improvements in 40 public and 17 private schools. Complementary higher education and vocational programs improve the quality of teaching and learning and emphasize critical thinking. Since 2009, USAID has constructed or renovated 153 classrooms and constructed 10 new public schools to address the need for classroom space to support the rapidly growing population. USAID’s education assistance benefits approximately 23,000 Palestinians.

Peace and Security
With its border improvement projects, the United States is helping ease the movement of Palestinian people and goods, while improving Israel’s security. USAID is also assisting the Palestinian Monetary Authority and the Palestinian Capital Markets Authority in tracking financial transactions to prevent financial crimes and money laundering.

Governing Justly and Democratically
USAID programs promote respect for human rights, enforcement of the rule of law, and improvement in the Palestinian Authority’s ability to provide for the needs of the public. USAID works with 12 Palestinian Authority ministries and institutions to carry out democratic reforms and make improvements in key areas of service delivery. USAID programs also assist civil society organizations and the media in holding government accountable and in building a constituency for reform. Finally, USAID provides assistance to the Central Elections Commission to help prepare for future elections.

EXAMPLES OF OUR IMPACT

USAID programs have provided potable water to 1.7 million beneficiaries (69 percent of the population) in the West Bank.

In 2009, USAID distributed more than $24 million worth of humanitarian assistance in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the military operations in Gaza.

USAID has trained more than one-third of the Central Elections Commission staff in preparation for future Palestinian elections.


CONTACTS

Mission Director
Michael Harvey
USAID
9700 Tel Aviv Place
Washington, DC 20521-9700
Tel: 972-3-511-4848
Fax: 972-3-511-4888

Desk Officer
Sara Borodin
Tel: (202) 712-4836
Email: sborodin@usaid.gov