§ 27. Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on how much aid has been given to the Palestinian Authority. [54764]
§ Clare ShortThe international community has provided financial and technical assistance to the Palestinian Authority since the Oslo Peace Accords of 1993 and 1994. This has been designed to support the delivery of basic social services, and help develop the capacity of the Palestinian Authority to participate effectively in the peace process. Total donor assistance since 1994 (figures most readily available) for the Palestinian Territories and for Palestinian refugees was $3.87 billion.
694WThe major contributor has been the European Commission, the UK share of which comes from the Department for International Development budget. Between 1994 and 2001, EC aid for the period totalled euro 1.446 billion. The UK share of this is an estimated euro 245 million. Over the same period, the World bank provided about £13 million between 1994 and 2001. The UK share was £650,000.
UK bilateral aid for the period 1996–97 to 2001–02 totalled £48.838 million. Between 1997 and 2001, the UK also provided –65.9 million to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees.