Ma'an News Agency
April 11, 2011 - 12:00am
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=377583


The Palestinian Authority's Minister of Planning and Development announced Monday the government's "national readiness to establish an independent Palestinian state during September."

Minister Ali Al-Jerbawi said the announcement came in line with the successful implementation of the 13th government's plan, "Ending the Occupation, Establishing a State," put out by the now caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in August 2009.

A report outlining the status of preparations for statehood, and outlining the success of the plan thus car, will be presented to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in Brussels on Wednesday.

Al-Jerbawi said the report would highlight a reduction in dependence on foreign aid, which he said had been reduced by 35 percent since 2009, citing successful economic growth and an increase in government revenues to $2 billion in 2010, saying it was a record in the history of the Palestinian Authority.

According to the report, the government expects to maintain the economic growth rate in 2011.

The AHLC is an oversight body for the international aid to Palestine. In April 2009, the committee decided to support Fayyad's plan to build the institutions of a Palestinian state by 2011, and organized donor funds to ensure the projects would receive the necessary aid.

Norway has chaired the AHLC since its creation in October 1993, in the wake of the Oslo process. In addition to Norway, the AHLC consists of 16 other member states and some invited bilateral donor countries.




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