PECDAR’s Project Monitoring Office (PMO) is constantly assessing the economic, social and humanitarian situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It is on the basis of this analysis that PECDAR identifies future priority programmes for presentation to the donor community generally and, where appropriate, to particular donor agencies.

The identification and development of such projects is a complex process especially given the fluidity of the political situation, the unpredictability of Israeli policy, including in regard to closure and the ever-present danger of military incursions, and the precariousness of international donor support.  

Many development projects funded by the international community have in the past been undermined or destroyed by Israeli action.  It is important, therefore, in developing new programmes to remain conscious of such dangers. At the same time, donor governments should become more vocal in their efforts to protect such investments from damage.

The need for emergency job creation programmes remains a high priority for the Palestine National Authority (PNA). Although such programmes are, to an extent at, least merely palliatives, they can also – if well designed and carefully supervised – play an important role in the rehabilitation of social and economic infrastructures. PECDAR’s Damage Assessment Report, which was issued in cooperation with International management group in March 2003, provides a coherent framework for the development of such initiatives.

New proposals have, therefore, been developed within the framework of PECDAR’s existing Integrated Community Development Programme (ICDP) and presented to donors for funding:


Computer Centres in Salfeet and Gaza

The Information and Communication Tele-centre (ICT) in Salfeet / West Bank and Absan / Gaza Strip will be the first centre of its kind funded through The World Bank Integrated Community Development Program (ICDP) and implemented by PECDAR.

The main purpose of the ICTs is to develop sustainable, replicable models for multi-purpose community Tele-centres in West Bank and Gaza Strip and evaluate the impact of these centres on social, economical and cultural development.


Geographic Information System – GIS

PECDAR is always striving to improve its performance and to stand up to the tremendous responsibility in developing the Infrastructure of Palestine; it must develop new strategies to keep up with modern technology.

Because of the indivisible relationship of PECDAR’s work nature and geography, Geographic Information System (GIS) and related technologies stand unique in their potential application to these requirements.  The ability to use geographic locations and relationships to manage all of the information necessary for Infrastructure planning, engineering, operations and translating political related changes into spatial data offers opportunities unavailable until now.  The power of geographic reasoning, as incorporated into GIS, has the potential to become a central, indispensable component of a PECDAR‘s overall information strategy.

Therefore, PECDAR has launched a proposal to establish a geographic Information System (GIS), this program will be for the benefit of PECDAR in addition to three Ministries; The Agricultural Ministry, Ministry of Local Government and the Department of Refugee Affairs (DORA)


Agence Francaise Development (AFD II)

Building on the experience gained through the previous joint PECDAR – AFD programme, this €3.5 million project is designed to generate some 40,000 days of employment over a period of eighteen months.  
The new project will extend the existing programme into new areas also badly hit by the current instability.

Proposing Projects to revive the Palestinian Economy following the Disengagement from Gaza and parts of Northern West Bank

The future of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank has been catapulted into the news by President George W. Bush’s endorsement, in April 2004, of Israel’s intention to disengage from the area without prior consultation with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

The Palestine National Authority (PNA) is engaging with international donor organization, including the World Bank, in order to mobilize support for the reconstruction and development in the event that such a withdrawal does take place.

Preparing for the proposed withdrawal a study was prepared by PECDAR on the Implications for the Social and Economical development following the implementation of the proposed Israeli Disengagement from Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, which supposed to be completed by the Israeli government by the end of 2005. The study includes a list of essential projects to revive the damaged Palestinian Economy after the withdrawal of the Israeli Army and the settlers from Gaza Strip and parts of Northern West Bank. These projects cover all infrastructure needs and sectors: Water & Wastewater, Electricity, Public Buildings, Roads, Gaza Airport, Seaport and many other sectors. An estimated budget of a bout 1.4 billion U$D is projected for such huge damage repair projects.