PALESTINE HAILS CEAPAD IV AS VITAL PLATFORM FOR STATEHOOD, REGIONAL COOPERATION
By Noor Azuki Fahme Ismail
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- The Palestinian Government has hailed the significance of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) as a critical diplomatic platform to deepen ties with East and Southeast Asian nations, in support of its vision of statehood, economic empowerment and post-war reconstruction.
Ahead of the CEAPAD IV, to be hosted by Malaysia on Friday, the Palestinian Embassy here affirmed that the platform serves as a collaborative framework for Palestine to actively participate as an equal partner in shaping initiatives aligned with its vision for dignity and sustainable growth.
“The Palestinian Government also envisions CEAPAD as a cornerstone of its international cooperation strategy, fostering sustainable economic development, capacity building and enhanced regional partnerships with East Asian countries.
“All of this is to support a sovereign and prosperous Palestinian state”, it said in an exclusive statement to Bernama.
The statement described CEAPAD as a symbol of commitment to transforming dialogue into actionable outcomes, particularly in the reconstruction of Gaza and the empowerment of Palestinian youth, thus offering hope for a sovereign and prosperous future.
To ensure CEAPAD’s development priorities reflect actual needs in Gaza and the West Bank, the Palestinian Government, through its Foreign Ministry and Planning and International Cooperation Ministry, adopts a data-driven approach based on statistics from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
“Gaza suffered an 86 per cent GDP (Gross Domestic Product) contraction in 2023, with a 98 per cent multidimensional poverty rate in early 2024.
“These data informs CEAPAD initiatives, targeting pressing issues such as Gaza’s 80 per cent unemployment rate and widespread infrastructure devastation,” it said.
To address these challenges, the Palestinian Government pursues several strategic goals to build an independent Palestinian state, such as the strengthening of institutional foundation, the reconstruction of Gaza and fostering economic self-reliance through partnership with East Asia nations.
“These goals reflect a commitment to building a sustainable, dignified future for Palestinians through collaborative and impactful initiatives”, it added.
CEAPAD is a regional conference framework initiated by Japan in 2013 to support Palestinian state-building by leveraging on the economic development resources, knowledge and experiences of East Asian countries.
CEAPAD IV will be co-chaired by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya and Palestine’s Planning and International Cooperation Minister Dr Estephan Salameh.
It will focus on, among others, capacity-building programmes and redevelopment of critical infrastructure in Palestine as well as effective provision and delivery of comprehensive humanitarian aid.
CEAPAD IV is being held in conjunction with the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings and related meetings, which Malaysia is chairing under its 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship.
The last CEAPAD was held in Bangkok in 2018.
The current member states are Japan, Palestine, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
-- BERNAMA
