The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities conducted a field visit to the site of Beit Awwa Center for Economic and Social Development, with the participation of representatives from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The visit was carried out as part of the on-site follow-up of the project’s implementation, aiming to gain direct insight into the project location and its components, within the framework of the project “Empowering Local Authorities through Local Economic Development Grants,” funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs through the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities.

During the visit, the Mayor of Beit Awwa, Yousef Al-Suweiti, delivered a detailed presentation on the current conditions of the town under imposed restrictions and closures, highlighting their impact on the local economic structure and on residents’ ability—particularly among the most marginalized groups—to access stable employment opportunities and sustainable sources of income. He explained that Beit Awwa Center for Economic and Social Development is designed as a practical tool to address existing economic imbalances by providing an organized local production space, supporting small-scale enterprises, and creating an enabling environment for women and youth to transition from aid recipients to active economic actors within their community.

Representatives of the French Ministry were briefed on the project’s vision as an integrated local development model, with discussions focusing on how the intervention contributes to reorganizing economic and social activity within the town. The presentation emphasized the project’s approach of linking local production to direct marketing opportunities within the community, creating accessible work environments that mitigate the impact of movement restrictions and reduce households’ reliance on unstable external markets.

The visit also served as a space for joint reflection on how this intervention could be built upon as a turning point in Beit Awwa’s local development pathway, moving from a single project toward a comprehensive, municipality-led development approach. This approach is supported by the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities and grounded in decentralized cooperation tools and municipal partnerships with French municipalities, ensuring that any future support is closely aligned with clear local priorities and effective planning and implementation capacities.

This project falls within the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities’ broader vision for local economic development, which seeks to move beyond fragmented interventions by adopting practical, locally driven solutions that leverage existing resources, integrate economic and social dimensions, and provide local authorities with concrete tools to strengthen their role in managing development and achieving sustainable impact.