Ad Hoc Liaison Committee

The Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) is a body whose primary function is to coordinate the delivery of international aid to Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority. It normally meets twice a year usually in New York or Brussels. The AHLC was established in November 1993.[1]

The entities that provide such aid are categorized into seven groups: the Arab nations, the European Union, the United States, Japan, international institutions (including agencies of the UN system), European countries, and other nations.[2] In July 2018, Australia ceased providing direct aid to the PA, saying the donations could increase the PA's capacity to pay Palestinians convicted of politically motivated violence, and that it will direct its funds through United Nations programs.[3]

Background

The AHLC was formed in the aftermath of the Oslo Accords, a set of peace agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The committee was created to ensure effective coordination of international aid efforts and provide a forum for the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel to discuss economic, development, and security issues related to the peace process.[4]

Structure

The AHLC has 15 members: United States, European Union, United Nations, IMF, World Bank, Russia, Norway, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Palestinian Authority, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia.[5] The AHLC receives reports from UNSCO, the Quartet, the IMF, as well as the World Bank, the latter acting as the AHLC Secretariat.[6]

Membership

The Ad Hoc Liaison Committee is chaired by Norway and co-sponsored by the United States and the European Union. Other key members include the IMF and the World Bank.[7]

Chairmanship

Meetings of the AHLC are chaired by Norway, a role for which it was nominated by Saudi Arabia when the US and the EU were at odds over which of them should be chair.[8]

Meetings

While in recent years meetings have been held biannually, in 2018, there were three meetings at ministerial level.[9]

Following a virtual meeting in February 2021,[10] a physical and virtual meeting was held in Oslo on 17 November 2021.[11][12][13]

References
  1. "U.S. gives cold shoulder to major Palestinian donor parley". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.
  2. Palestine Human Development Report (2004), 116 Archived August 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Wroe, David (July 2, 2018). "Australia diverts Palestinian money amid fears of support for terrorists". The Age.
  4. "From Failed to Fair Learning from the Oslo Accords to foster a new rights-based approach to peace for Palestinians and Israelis" (PDF).
  5. "Aid Management Structure in State of Palestine". Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  6. IBP, Inc. (11 August 2016). Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) Business Law Handbook Volume 1 Strategic Information and Basic Laws. Lulu.com. pp. 74–. ISBN 978-1-5145-0159-7.
  7. "Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process - Report to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, 3 May 2023 - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  8. Anne Le More (31 March 2008). International Assistance to the Palestinians After Oslo: Political Guilt, Wasted Money. Routledge. pp. 34–. ISBN 978-1-134-05233-2.
  9. "Chair's Summary of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) (Sept. 2018)" (PDF). UN (info only). 27 September 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  10. "Safadi reiterates call for support to Palestinian economy at AHLC meeting". Jordan Times. February 23, 2021.
  11. "Qatar, Egypt agree to supply fuel and building materials to Gaza". www.aljazeera.com.
  12. "Israel won't thwart 2 states, Minister to int'l parley on Palestinians". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.
  13. Heaney, Christopher. "Chair's Summary of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) (17 November 2021) (Non-UN Document)".
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