US and Palestine hold first economic dialogue in five years

The Government of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and officials of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) held their first economic dialogue in five years on Tuesday to analyze areas of cooperation.

According to a joint statement released by the State Department, the participants highlighted in the meeting, which was virtual, “the importance of restoring political and economic relations between the United States Government and the Palestinian (National) Authority”.

Likewise, they undertook to “expand and deepen cooperation and coordination“In various sectors, in addition to agreeing to work on various issues”crucial“To progress in”the economic prosperity of the Palestinian people”.

In this sense, the representatives of Washington emphasized the programs that could support the efforts of the ANP in financial matters, trade and the promotion of foreign direct investment.

During the opening of the dialogue, the Deputy Secretary for Middle Eastern Affairs, Yael Lempert, underlined “The belief“Of the Biden Government that the Palestinian people deserve to live in”freedom, security and prosperity”.

“The growth of the Palestinian economy will also play a critical role in advancing our overarching political goal: negotiating a two-state solution, with a viable Palestinian state living in peace and security with Israel.Lempert said.

Some of the issues discussed at the meeting were infrastructure, access to US markets, free trade, financial issues, environmental and renewable energy initiatives, connecting Palestinian companies with Americans, and obstacles to Palestinian economic development.

There was also a section dedicated to international trade relations.

On the US side, Lempert, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israel and Palestinian Affairs, Hadi Amr; Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Eric Meyer; and representatives of the United States Department of Commerce, Agriculture and Energy, as well as the Agency for International Development (USAID), among others.

The Palestinian delegation included the ministers of National Economy, Khaled Osaili, that of Information and Communication Technology, Ishaq Sider, and the president of the Palestinian Authority for Energy and Natural Resources, Zafer Melhem, among others.

Also in attendance were Estefan Salameh and Shakir Jalil, advisers to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtay.

The last time this dialogue was held was in December 2016 under former President Barack Obama (2009-2017), and it stopped developing during the four years that Donald Trump ruled in the United States.

During his tenure, Trump adopted measures such as the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem or the approval of the Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, which angered the Palestinians.

In parallel, Trump sponsored the so-called Abraham Accords, with which Israel normalized relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.