Brussels: The EU convened the first meeting of the Palestine Donor Group on Thursday in Brussels, bringing together ministers and senior officials from around 60 countries and organizations to advance efforts to strengthen Palestinian governance and support recovery in the West Bank and Gaza. The meeting was co-chaired by EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
According to Anadolu Agency, this event marks a key milestone in the EU's £1.6 billion Multiannual Comprehensive Programme for Palestinian Recovery and Resilience, which was adopted in April. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the initiative underscores the EU's long-standing role as the largest provider of external assistance to the Palestinian people, emphasizing its commitment to a future Palestinian state based on a reformed, functioning Palestinian Authority.
In the meeting, the Palestinian Authority presented updates on fiscal, economic, and governance reforms, alongside progress in education, health services, and private-sector development. Participants also discussed the humanitarian and political situation in Gaza, following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 on Gaza earlier this week. The EU emphasized that stabilization, transitional governance, and reconstruction efforts in both Gaza and the West Bank would continue to center on the PA's reform program.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reiterated the importance of strong PA institutions for peace, stating that the reform of the Palestinian Authority is fundamental for governing a future Palestinian state. She highlighted that the latest UN Security Council vote offers a significant opportunity to move beyond the fragile truce toward a stable future.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the EU and several member states, including Germany, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Spain, signed more than £82 million in new contributions to PEGASE, the EU-administered mechanism that channels donor support to the Palestinian Authority with strict oversight. This increases the total pledged through PEGASE this year to over £88 million, including earlier contributions from Finland, Ireland, Italy, and Spain.
Since its inception in 2008, PEGASE has directed £3.7 billion to Palestinian institutions and services. The commission stated its continued backing of the PA's reform agenda and efforts to stabilize Gaza and the West Bank through cooperation with UN agencies such as UNRWA.