Kuwait contributes US$500,000 to support ILO activities in the occupied Palestinian territory

The State of Kuwait grants the ILO half a million US dollars bringing the State’s total contributions dedicated to promoting decent work and social justice in the occupied Palestinian territory and the Arab States to US$3 million since 2009.

News | 01 April 2014
Beirut (ILO News) – Kuwait contributed US$500,000 to support the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) on Friday (March 21). Jamal Al-Ghoneim, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations and the Consul-General to the Swiss Confederation, made the contribution to the ILO’s Regional Director for the Arab States, Nada Al-Nashif, on the side-lines the ILO Governing Body, the tripartite executive meeting of the International Labour Office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Al-Nashif acknowledged Kuwait’s steadfast support to the ILO and the oPt adding that the most recent contribution enables the ILO to consolidate its technical support to its Palestinian constituents under the umbrella of the new Decent Work Programme which aims to:
  • Promote labour rights and governance;
  • Enhance employment and livelihood opportunities; and
  • Extend social security coverage and social protection.
"This donation comes in the context of Kuwait's support for the Palestinian people and consistent with our State’s policy in dealing with problems faced by our Palestinian brothers resulting from occupation, which has led to widespread unemployment among significant segments of the community," said Al-Ghoneim. "The Kuwaiti contribution is considered the sole donation from an Arab country dedicated to funding ILO programmes in the Palestinian territories, given their importance in dealing with pressing issues faced by the Palestinian labour market."

Kuwait’s financial support to the ILO in the oPt has so far helped the Organization revitalise the Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection, implement the national roll-out of its flagship entrepreneurship programme “Know About Business,” build skills capacities in Gaza to assist post-conflict recovery and reconstruction, as well as improve tripartism and industrial relations.

Total contributions from Kuwait to the ILO Regional Office for the Arab States have now reached US$3 million.

The new funding will enhance the impact of the Decent Work Programme and will support in particular youth employment programmes in Gaza and the strengthening of Workers’ and Employers’ organizations.

“Kuwait’s timely contributions have been critical for the sustainability of our interventions and the establishment of the oPt’s first ILO Decent Work Programme, launched last year with our Palestinian partners,” said Nada Al-Nashif. Decent Work Programmes are the main vehicle for delivery of ILO support to tripartite constituents in order to create jobs, extend social protection, enhance social dialogue and guarantee rights at work.


For more information please contact:
Reham Rached, Communications Assistant, ILO Regional Office for Arab States, Telephone: +961-1-752400 (Ext. 108), Email: rached@ilo.org