Tony Blair has revealed details of a new series of projects to boost the Palestinian economy and improve living standards for the Palestinian people.

Following a trilateral meeting held in Jerusalem, Mr Blair, along with the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israel’s Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, expressed a commitment to revive the Palestinian economy and so improve living standards.

The three announced a process which, it is hoped, can aid the implementation of key projects and programs to, in Mr Blair’s words, create “more jobs, and greater prosperity for ordinary Palestinians on the ground “.

The work will be carried out in the framework of the Palestinian Authority’s Development and Reform Plan and in support of this month’s Annapolis meeting and the Paris donor conference to take place in December.

The first stages of the process are designed to provide jobs, economic growth and improvments in living standards. The projects are lead by the private sector and key donors in the international community to avoid political impediments, facilitate movement and access without compromising on security matters.

Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Mr Blair announced four projects: the construction of an agro-industrial park in Jericho; an emergency sewage treatment project in north Gaza; the development of industrial zones, particularly in the area of Tarqumiya and tourism projects for both the Palestinian and Israeli sectors.

Mr Blair called the move “a strong beginning for what is a critical part of the whole process. And without hope of prosperity, rising living standards, and an economic stake in the future for ordinary Palestinians, the politics will never succeed.”

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Blair reveals key projects for the Palestinian economy

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