Mr. Jarno Syrjälä, Regional Manager, and Ms. Terhi Heinonen, Program Officer, from the Unit for the Middle East and North Africa visited the Palestinian Territories 21.-28.3.2004. The main purpose on the visit was to introduce the Finnish supported development projects to the recently appointed Program Officer. In addition some political level meetings took place with the Palestinian leadership.

The delegation had an honor to meet with Dr. Saeb Erekat, Minister of Negotiations Affairs in Jericho to hear about the latest political developments. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the delegation met with Ms. Samia Bamieh, Director General of the Europe Department.

To discuss the current and future development cooperation the Finnish delegation visited the Ministry of Education in Ramallah and the Palestinian Water Authority as well as the Palestinian Land Authority in Gaza. In addition some donors working in the same sectors, namely the World Bank, Norway and EC were met.

The PLO’s Negotiations Support Unit (NSU) and UN’s Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) gave a briefing on the current situation on the ground, impact of closures and building of the separation barrier. OCHA organized a tour to Al Eizariya and Abu Dis the see the current situation of the wall construction.

The main partners of the Finnish cooperation with Palestinian NGOs were also visited, namely International Center of Bethlehem, Bethlehem University, IPCRI, PHRMG and PASSIA.