The first cooperation agreement between Italy and Palestine, the so-called “Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation between the Organization for the Liberation of Palestine and the Government of the Italian Republic for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority”, was signed in Gaza on July 4, 1995.
The interventions of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) focus on health, economic development, support for human rights and gender equality, and humanitarian aid. The cooperation efforts are coordinated with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) to ensure alignment with the priorities set by the Palestinian Authority.
The AICS office in Jerusalem operates through grant and soft loan programs, primarily via the bilateral channel. Numerous ongoing initiatives involve partnerships with multilateral actors (UN agencies, FICROSS, and ICRC), as well as Italian civil society organizations and local authorities. Sector experts adopt an integrated and participatory approach, starting from a needs analysis shared by local counterparts, in full respect of local ownership.
The political and security context in Palestine has posed a constant challenge for project implementation, significantly affecting timelines and operational capacity. Main difficulties include delays in project start-up, mobility restrictions in the West Bank, the suspension of activities following the conflict in Gaza, and the need for repeated extensions to ensure completion of planned actions.
