Tracking status
P Approved/JP Activities Operational
Evaluation note
First Annual Report 2018, Mid Term Review in 2019, and Final Report/Evaluation in 2020
Team note
Current European Joint Programming document in support of Palestine’s National Policy Agenda covers the period 2017-2020, and includes a joint analysis, joint response, areas of intervention and priorities, indicative multi-annual financial allocations per donor and sector for 2017-2020, and a joint results framework. The Strategy is locally-owned and is the result of extensive meetings and discussions amongst the European development partners, Palestinian ministries, civil society organisations, the business community, the United Nations (UN) family and many other key actors.
A stronger framework for monitoring and evaluation is considered in the Joint Strategy, through: (i) yearly assessment conducted by the Pillar and Cross-Cutting Leads, as regards the implementation of the five pillars and the cross cutting themes; (ii) through an Annual Monitoring Report; and (iii) through a mid-term evaluation of the European Joint Strategy (in early 2019).
EU JP has been understood by European development partners in Palestine in its two dimensions: aid effectiveness (how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the considerable EU/MS financial effort in Palestine) and political dimension (affirm and defend the shared vision of European actors in Palestine and ensure the convergence between the development work and the political objectives of the EU).
Past steps: The EUD in Palestine has built a strong coordination institution at the development counsellors level with fortnightly meetings and a culture of cooperation and coordination in terms of policy dialogue, programming and strategy. Previously an EU/MS Local Development Strategy informed programming based on a division of labour and a shared vision. This strategy was originally endorsed in 2011 and updated in 2013 (with some support from the A2 Aid Effectiveness help desk). 16 EU/MS Sector Strategy Fiches were endorsed in 2012 and again 2014. In early 2015 a Results Oriented Framework (RoF) with 6 sector strategy fiches was also agreed by the EUREP and MS; the RoF is the cornerstone for joint implementation of institutional capacity development in Palestine.
Support has been provided in developing a joint analysis and statement of ‘European values’. These key texts have been drafted based on extensive consultations with the EU, EU MS and like-minded donors. The texts have also benefited from being based on the outcome of the civil society road map that was concluded in 2015: the road map combined with the Palestinian Authority’s current efforts to improve consultation have already led to a focus on programming based on consultation and accountability to civil society, the private sector and academia. This principle of consultation is echoed at national and sector levels in formal consultation councils whilst also being a specific objective in terms of deepening governance around programming at sector levels.
Results Management: focuses prominently both in expanding the existing Results Oriented Framework (RoF) and in mainstreaming support for better reporting and evidence based monitoring by the PA at sector level. The RoF’s focus on strengthening national statistical, monitoring and reporting capacities is also combined with the civil society road map’s drive for greater partnerships with civil society, the private sector and academia with the purpose of strengthening national ownership. The focus on updating the RoF was based on rationalising combined resources for joint policy dialogue at sector and national levels. Recognising the limited technical resources available to have an impact on policy dialogue was the basis of a new proposed division of labour focusing existing resources on where there is the most potential for impact and results. The division of labour was also the basis for reviewing performance at sector level and particularly around identifying which means of joint implementation work best in the local context. This focus on promoting joint implementation where it works has also been supported by a study on the effectiveness of the coordination architecture that was funded by Norway and the World Bank (2015 -2016).
Joint Programming: State of play - Despite the very specific situation of Palestine – an overcrowded, fragmented and highly politicised context – the Office of the European Union Representative (EUREP), Member States (EU MS), Norway and Switzerland have worked towards a European Joint Programming in Palestine since 2011.
Aligned with the the Palestinian National Policy Agenda (NPA) 2017-2022, the European Joint Strategy 2017-2020 focuses on the following five Pillars:
Key crosscutting issues are also mainstreamed in the Pillars (i.e. gender equality, environment, human rights, youth and civil society engagement). While European development partners recognise the geographical disparities and challenges related to them, Palestine is treated as "one" in the Strategy, as to ensure that the geographical fragmentation is not further reinforced. The specific needs of East Jerusalem, Area C and the Gaza Strip (areas where the role of the Palestinian Authority is severely limited due to different political, administrative and security arrangements) are however acknowledged. Support to Palestine refugees across the Middle East continues to be an important priority for EU development partners.
The European Joint Strategy is seen as an opportunity for European development partners to be more coherent and to reinforce EU's values and principles on the ground – as reflected in the new influencing tools/strategies included in the joint response of the Strategy.
It has been developed with the purpose of proposing new influencing strategies that could go beyond traditional development tools and bring about a change in the way EU's development partners address the Palestinian context and priorities.
The Strategy acknowledges that only a credible, realistic and brave political solution can put an end to the protracted occupation and ensure that European development partners effectively contribute to the two-state solution and to build sustainable livelihoods for all Palestinians.
On top of existing traditional developing tools, other existing and/or new tools should be developed/enhanced, aiming at a closer alignment between the political and development dimensions of the work of European partners in Palestine.
European Development partners work in Palestine alongside other important players on the ground, including donor countries, international agencies and International Non-Governmental Organisations. A number of important parallel processes are taking place at the same time. The implementation of the NPA will require adjustments to the current set up to ensure greater coherence as well stronger reach out to non-traditional donors.
Link with policy, political dialogue or other forms of strategic engagement
The uniqueness of the context explains that the political dimension of the European Joint Strategy is so strong. It aims at affirming and defending the shared vision of European actors in Palestine, as well as ensuring the convergence between the development work and the political objectives of the EU. Together with the NPA, both strategic documents are also solid foundation for a strong dialogue on fundamental human rights, environmental protection, democratic governance and gender equality.
The Joint Programming Document 2017-2020 directly responds to the Palestinian National Policy Agenda, and was prepared based on six years of joint policy dialogue, using flexible locally developed and managed policy dialogue tools. Policy dialogue takes place within the context of the EU-Palestine Joint Committee and the six ENP Sub-committees, within the framework of the Action Plan with Palestine. In 2014, 16 EU/MS rolling Sector Strategy Fiches (based on a Division of Labour) were prepared to be used as policy-dialogue tools with Palestinian counterparts.
Link with other exercises
Link with other donor coordination mechanisms
Besides the meetings of Heads of Cooperation, several Informal Working Groups have been set up and chaired by the sectoral leads in order to achieve more coherence in certain areas (e.g. East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, Area C, private sector development, gender, PEGASE Direct Financial Support, civil society, water and energy, etc.). Additionally, Interest Groups have been set up with the aim of bringing together as appropriate the different strands of EU presence in Palestine (primarily development and political). This is the case of the Interest Group on UNRWA (which also prepares the EU common statement to be delivered at meetings of the Advisory Commission twice a year) as well as of the Interest Groups on East Jerusalem and Area C. The latter also involves coordination between EU/MS on humanitarian activities in Area C. In addition, over the past years, several existing EU/MS (funding) mechanisms have been developed, also opened to non-EU/MS donors (e.g.: PEGASE Direct Financial Support, the Joint
Financing Arrangement, the Municipal Development and Lending Fund, etc.).
Examples of successful joint initiatives between European partners
Shared visions/policies (e.g.: in the water and agriculture sectors) as well as joint efforts deployed in cross-cutting issues (e.g.: Gender equality, Youth, Environment Protection, Human Rights and Support to Civil Society) and Palestinian areas facing special needs and challenges (e.g.: Area C, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip) have been developed.
Prospects, notably possibility for replacement of EU/EU MS bilateral programming documents
Further addressing the issue of substitution (full or partial substitution) will be needed during the implementation of the European Joint Strategy and during the elaboration of the next Strategy.