Emergency assistance program for the Occupied Territories

This report outlines an action program for securing early and concrete improvements in the daily lives of the Palestinian people and for laying the foundations for longer term economic growth in Gaza and the West Bank. The findings of a World Bank mission visiting the occupied territories were compiled into a two-volume document, "Emergency Assistance to the Occupied Territories", which described the main issues affecting the various sectors of the Palestinian economy, and presented proposals for investments and complementary technical assistance needed to address those issues. It also described the external financing requirements of the public sector, including the start-up and transitional expenditures of the new Palestinian administration. This report distils the main findings and recommendations of the two-volume document to make it accessible to Palestinians and donor policy-makers and to respond to the priorities of the Palestinian leadership. The objective of the Emergency Assistance Program is to provide tangible benefits to the Palestinian population quickly, equitably, and efficiently, while laying the foundation for sustainable development over the long term. The document outlines the priority expenditures for the next three years which focus on public facilities and services in key sectors of the economy, including transport; water supply and wastewater; solid waste management; power; municipal roads and facilities; housing; telecommunications; education; health; agriculture; and the environment. The report ends with a partial agenda for action on the part of Palestinians, Israelis and donors.