SWISS EFFORTS TO INTEGRATE GAZA CIVIL SERVANTS

Gaza, 5 Jumadil Akhir 1436/25 March 2016 (MINA) – Representative of Switzerland to Palestine Paul Garnier on Monday evening discussed with senior officials from the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip his country’s efforts to solve the crisis of unpaid civil servants in the besieged territory.

Garnier tabled “the Swiss document” that contain proposals for the integration of Gaza civil servants in the employment hierarchy of the Palestinian government institutions, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

He stated, during the meeting, that the document was the outcome of talks between the Palestinian rivals and close consultation with the office of the Palestinian prime minister and all concerned parties.

The Swiss official noted that his country’s efforts were supported by the UNDP and the World Bank and received approval from the UNESCO, the European Union, Norway, Britain, and the US.

“It is important for the civil servants in Gaza to see concrete and marked progress on the ground. The parties need to agree on immediate action to immediately start working on the integration process,” he stated.

The Swiss roadmap document stipulates that all Palestinian civil servants, regardless of whether they were employed before or after 2007, will be treated on an equal footing through an integration process.

At the end of the meeting, Garnier stated that Switzerland would intensify its efforts to promote the Palestinian reconciliation.

Since its formation in June last year, the Palestinian unity government has showed reluctance to pay the salaries of the previous Gaza-based government’s civil servants, who still attend their jobs, while it pays those who has been refusing to report to duty for more than seven years.(T/P008/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)