Japan offers $8 million to support Palestinian budget

Ramallah: The Japanese government has transferred $8 million to the Palestinian Ministry of Finance to help it overcome financial difficulties, Palestinian News Agency WAFA reported Thursday.
The fund, transferred through the World Bank’s Palestinian Recovery and Development Plan Multi-Donor Trust Fund (PRDP-MDTF) on April 25, is part of Japan’s contribution of $47 million under its supplementary budget. “The contribution comes at a time when budgetary assistance is urgently needed in order to maintain stability and advance policy agenda in a consistent manner,” said a statement distributed by the Representative Office of Japan in Ramallah.
This is the fifth contribution by Japan to the World Bank’s PRDP-MDTF, which was established in 2008. Japan has been strongly supporting economic development efforts in Palestine both financially, technically and politically as well in order to help Palestinian people prepare for the future statehood, the statement noted.
It is noteworthy that Japan’s government has so far provided a total assistance of approximately $1.8 billion to the Palestinians since 1993.
AB/IINA