At the invitation of Hebron Municipality, a meeting was organized at the Municipality with the participation of Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily, Mohamad Ghazi, President of Hebron’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nafeth Al Hirbawi, President of the Businessmen Forum, Imad Saed, Local Economic Development Officer at UNDP as well as representatives from Hebron University, Polytechnic University, Al Quds Open University and the Palestinian Businesswomen Forum. The meeting aimed at creating a Local Committee for Economic Development in Hebron Governorate in preparation for UNDP’s Local Economic Development Project. 3 million dollars have been earmarked by UNDP for this project which shall first be implemented in Hebron and Nablus Governorates through the Ministry of Local Government. If it succeeds, this flagship Project shall be extended to other Palestinian Governorates. The project provides an incubator for youths, recent graduates and innovative individuals to whom it offers the necessary infrastructure to enable them to implement projects, create private companies and ensure their success.

“Hebron Municipality has been working for many years now to change the way Municipalities operate by making them shoulder new responsibilities when it comes to the provision of services and to enhancing economic development instead of being entities which only provide infrastructure services. Hebron Municipality endeavors to reduce soaring unemployment levels in Hebron and to provide job opportunities for recent graduates. This is done through providing state-of-the-art facilities to polish skills and harness capacities that suit the job market. We also seek to help recent graduates seek creative and innovative projects, adopt creative thinking and turn that thinking into projects on the ground. Our Municipality has provided the necessary infrastructure including youth facilities which constitute the starting point for young motivated individuals in Hebron. The first step towards achieving development and encouraging youths to generate their own jobs is through the business incubators initiative which shall be launched when the Hebron Municipality Economic Development Department is inaugurated in April. More fruitful cooperation and partnerships are needed with the private sector, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and universities which graduate skillful students, with a view to achieving full coordination between all institutions working in the fields of science, economy and services”, Osaily said.

Mr. Ghazi underlined the Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s readiness to provide all help and support to this project. “It is very important to start with this flagship project which constitutes a laboratory for industries, provides business incubators with the necessary indicators and helps support Palestinian products and limit uncontrolled imports”, he said.

Mr. Hirbawi explained that the Businessmen Forum enjoys the required infrastructure to provide guidance and to train youths in the field of project management which would help ensure the success of this project. He underlined the key partnership that exists between the Forum and the Project and pledged full support to it.

Speaking about the necessary funding, Mr. Saed said that UNDP has earmarked a large sum for the Local Development Project in the oPt, and that it is waiting to see how the two flagship projects in Hebron and Nablus unfold before taking the experience to other Governorates. “The infrastructure I have seen in Hebron proves that even though the city does not receive the funds it deserves, it is quite capable of being a pioneer and of succeeding, just like it has succeeded in many other tests in the past”, he added.

Najah Al Osaily, businesswoman, Dr. Ayman Sultan, Deputy President of Polytechnic University for Academic Affairs, Dr. Majed Milhem, Academic Assistant at Al Quds Open University and Dr. Bassel Al Natsheh, representative of the President of Hebron University, said they were willing to provide full support to ensure the success of this Project and to work as partners throughout the project.

At the end of the meeting, Osaily announced the creation of the Local Committee for Economic Development in Hebron. Allam Al Ashhab, Head of the Planning and Economic Development Department at Hebron Municipality, was chosen as the Committee’s coordinator.