The Ministry of Labor and the International Labour Organization Sign an Agreement to Support Economic Recovery in Gaza and the West Bank

SadaNews Economy - The Minister of Labor and Chairperson of the Palestinian Employment Fund, Dr. Inas Al-Attari, signed an agreement with the representative of the International Labour Organization in Palestine, Daniel Cork, to implement the Economic Recovery for Businesses Initiative (JRS/HAD) as part of the Emergency Response Program, aiming to enhance economic stability and provide decent jobs in Palestine, funded by the governments of the Netherlands, Belgium, Indonesia, and Alonia.

Dr. Al-Attari pointed out that the agreement aims to promote early economic recovery in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by providing direct financial support for wages, facilitating the entry of unemployed graduates and skilled workers into the labor market by providing incentives to the private sector, enhancing women's participation in entrepreneurship, in addition to addressing skills gaps through integration of training and vocational qualification, and strengthening the resilience of strategic economic sectors with high employment potential.

Dr. Al-Attari also thanked the countries that announced their recognition of the State of Palestine during her speech, indicating that this recognition is essential to support and enhance the steadfastness of our people, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the introduction of food aid, and the termination of the occupation.

She emphasized the importance of this agreement in light of the economic and social conditions faced by our people, especially what the Gaza Strip is undergoing and the attempts of the occupation to displace its residents, as well as the repeated violations in the cities and areas of the West Bank.

Dr. Al-Attari also added about the role of the ministry in developing four qualitative digital platforms: the Labor Market Information System platform, the Smart Job Matching platform, the Labor Market Compass platform, and the Entrepreneurship platform, pointing out that these contribute to opening new horizons for youth to engage in the local and international labor market, which helps reduce the high unemployment rates among youth, as well as the new employment strategy that gives significant attention to supporting vocational training, employment, entrepreneurship, and cooperatives.

On his part, the representative of the International Labour Organization in Palestine, Daniel Cork, confirmed that these efforts come as an urgent response to establish practical plans to protect jobs and create new employment opportunities, indicating that this agreement focuses on preventing layoffs by supporting wages, reintegrating laid-off workers, and providing training opportunities linked to labor market needs and empowering women and supporting women and start-ups, stressing that these axes reflect the mutual interest among partners to continue working and achieving success stories in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts and the ILO's commitment to achieving comprehensive recovery, promoting decent work, and aligning with the priorities of the local labor market, especially in providing support to affected groups and enhancing the resilience of economic sectors in Palestine.

The Secretary-General of the General Union of Palestinian Trade Unions, Shaheer Saad, pointed to the significant increase in the unemployment rate among workers following the events of October 7 and their forced layoffs from their workplaces, and the continued Israeli violations regarding their rights, calling on international institutions to advocate for their rights and secure them in light of what they are facing and enduring.

Moreover, the head of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Abdou Idris, added that this ongoing cooperation enhances the steadfastness of both workers and employers, indicating that there are several sectors that need to develop their products and continue supporting small and micro-enterprises through providing the necessary support to ensure their productivity and continuity.

In conclusion, Dr. Al-Attari thanked those present, emphasizing the importance of continuing support for youth and entrepreneurs and providing the necessary support for vocational and technical training to meet the required skills for entering the labor market and fulfilling its needs.