(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a briefing today for representatives of the donor states and the international organizations belonging to the AHLC (Ad Hoc Liaison Committee). The briefing, which dealt with diplomatic and security issues, was led by the Ministry's Deputy Director General for Economic Affairs, Irit Ben-Abba and attended by approximately forty foreign delegates. In addition to Ms. Ben-Abba, the participants were briefed by a senior researcher of the Foreign Ministry's Center for Political Research and speakers from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defense, and from the security forces.
The AHLC was established fifteen years ago by the Government of Norway and is involved in coordinating international aid for the purpose of building and strengthening the capabilities and institutions of the Palestinian Authority.
The next donors meeting will take place in New York on 22 September, close to the beginning of the UN General Assembly. The agenda is expected to include the PA's financial crisis and increasing the effectiveness of aid for security. The meeting will be chaired by the foreign minister of Norway and will host UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Invitations to the meeting were extended to the United States, Canada, Egypt, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Jordan, Tunisia, Russia, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Britain, Israel, the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the Saudi Fund for Development, and the Palestinian Authority.