Egypt lauds proposed €1.6B program from EU to foster Palestinian recovery

CAIRO – 16 April 2025: Egypt celebrated the European Commission’s announcement of a multiannual €1.6 billion program aimed at fostering Palestinian recovery and resilience, underscoring how it reflects the European Union’s (EU) support for the Palestinian Authority (PA).

In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, Egypt highlighted that the program will contribute to empowering the PA’s institutions and help fulfill the aspirations and legitimate needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.

During the inaugural High-Level Political Dialogue between the EU and the PA on Monday, the European Commission proposed this Comprehensive Support Programme from 2025 to 2027, valued at €1.6 billion to aid Palestinian recovery and resilience.

More than a third of this financial package (around €620 million) is allocated as grants for direct assistance to the PA, enabling it to continue providing services to the population.

Additionally, around €576 million in grants will support concrete projects in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, including a proposed €82 million per year to provide services to Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), both in the occupied territories and the wider region.

“This will enable UNRWA to continue playing its crucial role as both a humanitarian and developmental actor,” stated the European Commission.

The package also includes €400 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to support the Palestinian private sector.

Egypt emphasized that the new program underscores “the EU’s recognition of the necessity to support the Palestinian people during this critical phase of their struggle, while working toward a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian cause based on the two-state solution.”

Egypt welcomed the proposed allocation to UNRWA, commending the agency’s “irreplaceable and indispensable role” in providing basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees.

Egypt expressed its hope for continued EU support for the PA while actively participating in the international conference for early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, which Egypt is set to host in collaboration with the UN and the Palestinian government.