(Guardian-UK) Kieron Monks - The Palestinians are one of the world's largest beneficiaries of foreign aid, receiving over $3 billion annually (not including the budget of UNRWA itself). In 2009, over 60% of Palestine's gross national income, and almost 100% of government expenditure, came from aid. PA budgets allocate ten times more money to security than to agriculture. The Palestinians' NGO sector has become a byword for corruption, incompetence and meaningless job creation. Thousands of NGOs have sprung up, bloating the aid industry without delivering long-term benefits. Naseef Mu'allem, director-general of the Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy, revealed that "JICA - the Japanese government aid mission - invested $5 million last year, but practically what they spent is $600,000. The rest is given as salaries, accommodation, hotels...and transportation for the foreign employees here but not for the Palestinians."
2010-11-24 09:05:33Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive