The first EU-Palestinian Business Forum held on 7 December brought €80 million in investment deals into the local economy.
For the first time in one space, 200 to 300 business leaders, bankers, investors, Palestinian government representatives, and senior officials from European Financial Institutions were in talks. This space was called the EU-Palestinian Business Forum.
The event will be marked in the history of the Palestinian economy for being a joint, comprehensive event and for having the purpose of establishing a channel for dialogue between the public and private sectors within the framework of the EU-Palestinian Investment Platform.
EU Representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, together with the Prime Minister, SE Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh, and the Minister of National Economy, SE Khaled al Ossaily, opened the forum which enabled the signing of five financing contracts worth €81.65 million. The event also featured seven high-profile investments funded by Team Europe and six investment opportunities from the National Investment Roadmap were presented.
"With the launch of the EU-Palestine Business Forum, we want to consolidate, renew and reinforce our commitment to make Palestine a more attractive place for local, European, and other international investors. I am confident that this Forum will make a strong contribution to improving the investment climate, strengthening the Palestinian economy, and building a stronger partnership between Europe and Palestine," said EU representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff.
The new Business Forum will help expand private sector involvement in the operation of the current Investment Platform. The business community will finally be able to discuss, together with policymakers, the strategic priorities, and policies for investment in Palestine, and discover future investment opportunities as well as possibilities for available funding.
"Having the business community included in the EU-Palestine Investment Platform is essential and timely and has been our goal from the beginning. The future of our economy depends on a vibrant private sector and creative partnerships with European and international companies," said Prime Minister SE Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh.
The event will go down in the history of the Palestinian economy for being so inclusive and for its purpose of establishing a channel for dialogue between the public and private sectors within the framework of the EU-Palestinian Investment Platform. The business community will finally be able to discuss, together with policymakers, strategic priorities, and policies for investment in Palestine, and discover future investment opportunities as well as possibilities for available funding.
"Having the business community included in the EU-Palestine Investment Platform is essential and timely and has been our goal from the beginning. The future of our economy depends on a vibrant private sector and creative partnerships with European and international companies," said Prime Minister SE Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh.
CESO provided technical assistance to the organisation of this event as part of the Platform for the launch of the External Investment Plan in Palestine.
December 20th, 2022