In continuation of the partnership between the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), and within the efforts to strengthen the capacities of APLA, the Executive Director of APLA Eng. Abdallah Anati has participated in an intensive training program held at VNG headquarter in the city of Hague, in order to get a closer insight of VNG’s work.

During the program, many specialized meetings were held in different work areas, such as lobbying, policy forming, and local economic development, as well as the various working procedures of the different departments in the VNG such as the Public Relations and Media Department, the Finance Department and member services. Eng. Anati also met with his VNG counterpart and several mayors of the Dutch cities.

This program is part of a long partnership between the two Associations, and VNG’s support to APLA’s role in defending their members rights, and benefit from the Dutch experience in this area, besides strengthening APLA’s program capabilities.