The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) has concluded a cooperation agreement with its Lithuanian counterpart at APLA headquarters in Ramallah, aiming at strengthening cooperation between the two associations and consolidating partnerships between the Palestinian Local Authorities and their Lithuanian counterparts. APLA’s President Eng. Mousa Hadid and the President of the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania (ALAL), Mr. Mindaugas Sinkevičius, signed the agreement in the presence of APLA’s Executive Committee members, APLA Executive Director, Eng. Abdallah Anati, the Director of the Lithuanian Association, Ms. Roma Zakitin, and representatives and Mayors of the Lithuanian and Palestinian Local Authorities.
After welcoming the visiting delegation, Eng. Mousa Hadid stressed the need for strengthening the relations between the Palestinian Local Authorities and their Lithuanian counterparts, stating that APLA believes in the importance of this type of cooperation which on the one hand contributes in the transference of the Palestinian situation, while on the other hand promotes the exchange of experiences in all common areas. He confirmed the fact that the signing of this agreement comes in accordance with APLA’s objectives, which have led to opening the horizons for Palestinian Local Authorities to enter into partnerships or twinning agreements with their international counterparts.
For his part, Mr. Sinkevičius said that the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania (ALAL) shall be committed to providing any available potentials they have, in order to serve the interests of the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) and all its members, through the partnerships and relations that will be formed between the Local Authorities of both parties, which will be concluded under this agreement.
Under the agreement, the two associations shall promote the development of partnerships between Palestinian and Lithuanian Local Authorities in the fields of economy, culture, education, sports, development cooperation, improving public administration, environmental protection, climate change, urban development, energy management and regulations, community services, regulation of local transport and all other aspects of common interest to the two countries.
APLA Executive Director, Eng. Abdallah Anati, said that this agreement allows the two associations to work in a full partnership in an effort to engage in international projects and the ability to obtain co-financing in order to implement the joint plans that will be defined within the framework of an action plan, thus start implementing its provisions during the coming months.
Eng. Anati stressed the association’s endeavor to open horizons for Local Authorities from both countries to enter into twinning relations and direct partnership for the benefit of the Palestinian Local Authorities. He added that joint conferences and meetings between the two associations will be organized periodically at the level of Mayors and members of Local Authorities and executive teams to exchange expertise in several areas of common interest.
