The "Green Development 2025" Conference Establishes a National Roadmap to Enhance the Green and Circular Economy in Palestine

SadaNews - On Monday, the "Green Development 2025" conference was held in Ramallah under the slogan "Strengthening Networks of Business Support Organizations for a Green and Circular Economy in Palestine," as part of national and regional efforts aimed at promoting the transition towards a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive economy.

This conference is part of the "Green Forward" program, a regional initiative funded by the European Union and implemented in Palestine at the mid-level by the international NGO SPARK in partnership with the business accelerator Flow Accelerator and in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Labor. The program aims to empower business support institutions and enhance their capacities to lead the transition towards a green and circular economy through training, networking, and developing practical tools for integration between economic policies and sustainable practices.

The conference was attended by more than 200 figures, including representatives from Palestinian ministries, the private sector, funding institutions, donors, business support organizations, startups, and a group of young entrepreneurs. They discussed ways to accelerate the transition towards a green and sustainable Palestinian economy and reviewed initiatives, policies, and practical experiences in the fields of innovation, financing, and environmental responsibility.

The conference sessions focused on four main axes: public policies and the government's role in supporting the green transition, innovation and green entrepreneurship, partnerships with the private sector and sustainable financing, and the role of business support organizations in accelerating the transition along with entrepreneurial project models that drive change on the ground. The conference also featured parallel sessions represented in a "Green Class" to provide participants with practical skills and innovative tools that enable them to develop economically viable environmental solutions and build a new generation of young leaders capable of leading the transition towards a sustainable economy in Palestine. Additionally, a discussion round on "Green Financing" served as an interactive dialogue platform that brought together representatives from local and international financial institutions to raise awareness about the mechanisms of green financing and its importance to the national economy, enhancing the understanding of the overall scene of sustainable investment opportunities in Palestine, as well as exploring new tools for financing small and medium-sized enterprises and green startups.

Participants agreed that the transition to a green and circular economy in Palestine is no longer a developmental luxury but a strategic necessity that requires integrated institutional coordination between the public and private sectors and civil society, in addition to adopting flexible financing tools and supportive legislation for green innovation and expanding the scope of community participation.

The conference witnessed the signing of a number of expressions of interest between several participating business support institutions and a group of relevant parties active within the green innovation system, such as funding institutions, business support organizations, and consulting firms, aimed at enhancing institutional coordination and integrating efforts to support the green economy. These partnerships include developing joint initiatives in the fields of green financing, training, capacity building, and designing programs aimed at environmental and social sustainability projects, in a step that reflects the commitment of the participating parties to break barriers and enhance practical cooperation in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The conference concluded with the announcement of the initiation of the preparation of a national roadmap for transitioning towards a green and circular economy in Palestine, built on the outcomes of the various sessions, discussions, and workshops, to serve as a practical reference guiding future steps in policy development, stimulating green investments, and strengthening national and international partnerships. It was also announced that specialized working groups would be formed including representatives from ministries, the private sector, universities, funding institutions, and business support organizations with the aim of formulating practical policy recommendations and developing innovative financing tools that support the growth of green projects and enhance sustainable entrepreneurship.

In her speech during the conference, Mrs. Dina Al-Masayid, Regional Program Director at SPARK in the Middle East, affirmed that the "Green Development" conference represents a pivotal moment in building a greener and more sustainable economic system in Palestine. She added that the interaction and cooperation witnessed during the conference reflect the maturity of awareness regarding the importance of the green and circular economy as a strategic path for national development, noting that SPARK will continue, through its partnership with Flow Accelerator and the Ministry of Labor, to support an entrepreneurial environment that enables innovative ideas and translates them into impactful realities.

For her part, Ms. Majd Khalifa, Executive Director of Flow Accelerator, stated that this conference represents a practical step in the path towards the green and circular economy in Palestine, bringing together constructive dialogue and practical work and highlighting the importance of integration among the various parties in the economic ecosystem. She emphasized that Flow Accelerator will continue to work on developing practical tools such as the "Green Business Guide" and support partnerships that translate ideas into real projects contributing to promoting sustainable growth.

The "Green Forward" program is one of the regional initiatives funded by the European Union, aiming at the mid-level to empower business support institutions in the southern neighboring countries of the Union by providing them with the tools and methodologies that enhance their ability to support the transition towards a green and circular economy. The program focuses in Palestine on building the capacities of intermediary institutions to enable them to support startups and small and medium-sized enterprises in adopting sustainable practices and business models, alongside raising community awareness about the circular economy and expanding opportunities for cooperation among local, regional, and international stakeholders.

At the conclusion of the conference, the organizers affirmed that the transition to a green and circular economy in Palestine requires practical partnerships and sustainable institutional integration among various actors, indicating that the collaborations announced during this event represent a starting point toward a greener and more sustainable Palestinian economic system.

The conference concluded by emphasizing that what has been achieved today marks the beginning of a new phase of collective action towards a greener, more innovative, and sustainable Palestinian future.