JAPAN GRANTS PALESTINE $12.5 MILLION FOR PROJECTS

RAMALLAH, Muharram 25, 1434/December 9, 2012 (WAFA/MINA) – The Palestinian Authority (PA) and Japan Saturday signed in Ramallah two $12.5 million grants for industrial and management projects in the West Bank.

The first grant of $10 million will go for improving solid waste management and the second grant of $2.5 million will be in the form of aid of industrial products.

Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who signed the agreements on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, thanked Japan for its support for the Palestinian people and for its vote at the United Nations to upgrade the status of Palestine to a non-member state observer.

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He called on the international community to urge Israel to transfer withheld PA tax revenues which could cripple the PA’s ability to provide services to its people if not delivered.

Junya Matsuura, Japan’s representative to the PA who signed the agreements on behalf of his government, said that his country was committed to supporting the Palestinian people and authority on the political and economic levels.

A press release by the Japanese representative office said the first grant will provide equipment and vehicles for solid waste management to the joint service, planning and development councils in Hebron, Jenin, Jericho, Salfit and Tulkarem to improve the solid waste management capacity.

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The second grant aims to alleviate PA financial difficulties and help PA procure industrial products needed for economic and social development efforts. (T.R-014/R-012/R-006.)

Mi’raj News Agency