Statement on behalf of the Chair and Co-Chairs of the International Donors’ Conference for the Palestinian State

1. The Chair and the Co-Chairs of the International Donors’ Conference for the Palestinian State held in Paris on December 17, 2007 (Foreign and European Affairs Minister Alliot-Marie, Foreign Minister Støre, High Representative Ashton and Head of Mission of the Quartet Representative Grappo) met tonight in Paris together with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The period covered by the Paris Conference having reached its end, they reviewed how donors have delivered on their pledges and assessed the implementation of the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan of building the institutions to create the State of Palestine within the agreed timeline.

2. The Paris Conference sent a strong signal of political and financial support to the government of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and to their vision of the future Palestinian State. The donors have fulfilled their pledges by transferring around USD 7.7 billion pledged in Paris, including USD 4.3 billion for budgetary assistance. The Chair and Co-Chairs welcomed the progress achieved by the Palestinian Authority (PA), especially the strengthening of state institutions within the framework of the 13th Palestinian government program. There has been significant progress in particular as regards the management and transparency of public finance, governance, social improvements, justice and security issues. The Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) in New York in September last year welcomed the World Bank statement that “if the PA maintains its current performance in institution-building and delivery of public services, it is well positioned for the establishment of a State at any point in the near future”. In this regard, the successful reforms allow the PA to halve its dependence on budgetary assistance from 2008 to 2011. The Chair and Co-Chairs also commend the Quartet Representative for the work he has done.

3. As the PA continues to have substantial financing needs for 2011, the Chair and Co-Chairs call on the international community, with equitable burden sharing, to continue its efforts beyond what was initially pledged in Paris in 2007, and transfer their budgetary assistance as soon as possible. Early disbursement is crucial to support continued momentum in the empowerment and reform of the Palestinian institutions and to assure financial stability.

4. The Chair and Co-Chairs call on Israel to take more ambitious, structural measures to continue to ease access and movement in compliance with the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access. Such further steps are needed to release the full potential of the policies led by the Palestinian Authority and the financial support provided by the international community. Measures need to be taken immediately to improve the movement of persons and goods, regarding the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. To meet the needs of the people of Gaza, full and effective implementation of the measures announced by Israel to alleviate the blockade on Gaza is indispensable. The Chair and the Co-Chairs reiterated the importance of the Palestinian Authority in all our efforts in Gaza, and that a lasting solution to the situation in Gaza can only be achieved through peaceful means and by ending the blockade.

5. At the request of the PA, a new international donors’ conference for the Palestinian State will be held in Paris in June 2011. This will take place shortly ahead of the date set by the Quartet for a political agreement to be found by the Parties through negotiation and before the completion of the 13th government’s state-building plan. The conference will address the PA’s strategic development plan and will also have a strong political dimension.

6. The Chair and Co-chairs call for full support of the steps undertaken by the Quartet and by the United States to assist the parties in negotiating a sovereign, viable, contiguous, independent and democratic State of Palestine living side by side with Israel in peace and security, within secure and recognized borders, established on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

7. Norway informed that the next AHLC will be held on 13 April, hosted by the EU and High Representative Ashton in Brussels.