International Partnership to Revitalize the Palestinian Industry and Support the National Economy

SadaNews - The General Union of Palestinian Industries held an extensive consultative meeting with the participation of heads of specialized industrial unions, representatives from the Ministries of Industry and Labor, along with international partners from the European Union and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, aiming to formulate the executive interventions for the "Support for Economic Recovery and Resilience" (SERR Pal) project.

The project aims to enhance the capabilities of 300 small and medium enterprises by improving their productivity and increasing their competitiveness in local and international markets, alongside developing workforce skills to meet the evolving labor market requirements.

During the meeting, the union presented a comprehensive strategic framework to analyze the challenges facing the industrial sector in Palestine at the sectoral level, focusing on the sectoral priorities and strategies that contribute to enhancing sustainable industry.

Nasar Nasar, President of the General Union of Palestinian Industries, emphasized the necessity of integrating roles between the private and public sectors and donors to ensure the continuity of enterprises and preserve technical staff, stressing the importance of cooperation in covering the operational costs of enterprises to face the challenges affecting all industrial sectors.

For his part, Rami Mahdawi, the Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Labor, conveyed the greetings of Minister Dr. Inas Al-Attari, praising the importance of the project as a fruit of joint cooperation between the Ministry of Labor and the General Union of Industries, affirming the principle "wherever there is industry, there is work," with a focus on the Gaza Strip as an essential part of industrial priorities. He called for extensive meetings to enhance the utilization of the "Employment Platform."

In turn, Maher Ahshish, adviser to the Minister of Industry, conveyed the greetings of Minister Arafat Assafour, praising the consultative meetings that crystallized the mechanisms for implementing the project through intensive meetings with international partners, focusing on support for employment, capacity building, and providing grants for affected enterprises, as well as training workers in industrial sectors.

Matteo Gorguinpour, the Economic Development Policy Officer at the EU Representative Office, also presented the project implementation mechanisms and the initiatives planned for execution in 2026, noting the targeting of 300 small and medium enterprises based on precise studies of needs and sectoral priorities.

Giuseppe Marano, Program Officer for Economic Development at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, emphasized the importance of listening to the proposed priorities and interventions to incorporate them into the project formulation, dividing interventions into short-term priorities and long-term strategies.

The meeting also witnessed in-depth discussions among representatives of industrial unions regarding the challenges and needs, resulting in practical recommendations aimed at removing obstacles and enhancing the resilience of the Palestinian industrial sector.