The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) undertook a field visit to the construction site of the Ein Arik Village Council. Planned to be constructed as part of the Sub-grants Initiative for the so-called Area “C”, the project is funded by the European Union and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The event was attended by representatives of the SDC, Ein Arik Village Council, Agricultural Cooperative Society, and Youth Council in the village.
Basil Shahin, Mayor of the Ein Arik Village Council, briefed participants about the village council’s role and relationship with local community institutions, cooperation and compromise between local residents, and achievement of sustainable development. The tour involved a visit to the construction site of the spring water collection well to be implemented in partnership with the Agricultural Cooperative Society. Shahin highlighted the importance and role of this project in realizing social and economic development, ensuring the efficient use of water and promoting agriculture as a strategy to face economic challenges, achieving self-sufficiency, increasing citizens’ income, and strengthening their resilience on their land.
Eng. Abdel Mu’min Afaneh, Manager of the APLA Technical and Legal Support Unit, underscored the Ein Arik Village Council’s role and efforts to support the local community and promote social and economic development by strengthening partnership with the Agricultural Cooperative Society. Afaneh emphasised that APLA would continue to support implementation of the project, which would serve as a catalyst for other village councils to carry out development projects.
SDC representative stated that these projects reflected stakeholders’ commitment to promote economic and social development, empower local communities in Palestine, and provide an incentive for more development projects in the future. In view of their strategic importance, SDC representative underlined the SDC interest in supporting development projects in the so-called Area “C”. The SDC seeks to support projects that promote sustainable development and improve the socioeconomic conditions of local communities.
Of note, APLA is implementing 13 projects with village councils, which received grants in the context of the first phase of the Sub-grants Initiative. In the same vein, APLA launch the second phase of the initiative over the past weeks. Sub-grants are designed to support development initiatives launched by village councils to provide socioeconomic development of local communities, including projects that create job opportunities or generate income for families in communities throughout the so-called Area “C”.
