Ma’an – 01/01/2014
BETHLEHEM – The United States is set to increase financial aid to the Palestinian Authority in 2014, the PLO ambassador to Washington said Tuesday.
Maen Erekat told Ma’an that the US Congress agreed to allocate $440 million of financial aid to the Palestinian Authority in 2014. He highlighted that in 2013, US aid was $426 million, $495 million in 2012 and $545 million in 2011.
In 2014, most of the financial aid will be developmental projects through the US aid agency USAID. Only $70 million is expected to be paid directly to the PA’s treasury, he highlighted.
The ambassador noted that “despite the endorsement, financial aid to the PA will be affected by progress of the peace process in Palestine.”
The Palestinian leadership, says Erekat, has asked the US to reestablish a joint Palestinian-American committee which was active in 1990s to discuss political, economical and tourism issues among others.