Ramallah, 17 December 2018: Today, the Minister of Social Development of the State of Palestine, H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Al-Shaer, and the Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Jamie McGoldrick, launched the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for 2019 in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

In response to an increasingly difficult situation, the World Bank’s Board recommended today the allocation of US$90 million to accelerate much-needed economic welfare for the Palestinian people, an increase from its yearly disbursement of US$55 million. The funds, in the form of grants, will be transferred from the Bank’s own income to the dedicated Trust Fund for Gaza and West Bank.

The Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) announces the first goal of the SDGs 2030 " End of poverty in all its forms everywhere " as subject for the 2018 AGFUND International Prize 2018 and invites the United Nations, international and regional organizations, ministries and public institutions, social business enterprises, national NGOs, individuals and development actors worldwide to submit nominations for the Prize. AGFUND Prize amounts to US$1,000,000, divided into four categories; the First category prize (US$ 400,000), specified for projects implemented by UN agencies or international and regional NGOs, the Second category prize (US$ 300,000), specified for projects implemented by national NGOs, the Third category prize (US$ 200,000), specified for projects implemented by governmental bodies (ministries and public institutions) or social business enterprises and the Fourth category prize (US$ 100,000), specified for projects initiated, funded and/or implemented by individuals.