Tanslated by Sabrin Qadah 

President of the Economic Council for Reconstruction and development "PECDAR" D. Mohammed Shtayyeh said that the rates of unemployment and poverty are the biggest challenges facing the Palestinian Authority, noting that the unemployment rate among young people between the ages of 19 and 29 years is 54%. 

This came during a meeting with a number of ministries and national institutions related to the employment process, who have been nominated to attend the training course implemented by the Arab Planning Institute in Amman under the title of "policies and employment programs and poverty alleviation" in favor of PECDAR. The course aimed at enhancing the skills of staff in the fight against poverty and the promotion of small enterprises.

Shtayyeh said the course aims to provide them with knowledge and skills about the techniques and indicators of poverty, poor income distribution and how to apply it. It also aims to familiarize the participants with the most important policies and programs for poverty alleviation in the Arab countries, and to analysis poverty anti-policy in support of justice for a fair distribution of income.

He briefed the staff on the program of the course, and invited them after the completion of training to participate in a publication that offers solutions and new ideas to combat poverty and unemployment.

Shtayyeh stressed the need to encourage small businesses that make up 90% of the total number of enterprises operating in Palestine, provide them with funding and reduce the interest on them.

He said that the authority is responsible for creating jobs, fighting poverty and providing services to the citizens, but at the same time, it does not have control over economic capabilities, natural resources and borders, among others.

He continued that more than half of public spending goes to salaries, which constitutes a real economic problem as the government is the largest employer in the Palestinian territories because of the private sector's inability to create new opportunities because of the measures of the occupation and the lack of foreign investments.

He pointed out that donor funds have reduced the gap between the duties of the authority and the lack of control over its resources. However, this did not continue, and donor funds declined in addition to the continuation of the financial crisis.

Shtayyeh stressed the need to get rid of the culture of dependence on donor funds to bring about development, and the need to rely on the efforts of our people.