Ramallah – Ma’an – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) held today, Thursday, the closing meeting of the “Sustainable” program, which it implemented over four years to promote sustainable energy solutions in Palestinian industries, with funding from the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of National Economy, and in cooperation with the Energy and Natural Resources Authority.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of National Economy, Muhammad Al-Amour, the Minister of Industry, Arafat Asfour, the Head of Cooperation in the European Union Office in Jerusalem, Ibrahim Al-Afia, representatives of public and private sector institutions, a number of beneficiaries of the services of the ‘Sustainable’ program, and a representative of the headquarters of UNIDO. Ricardo Savigliano, the head of the UNIDO Program Office in Palestine, Ahmed Al-Farra, and the UNIDO and program staff.

The meeting reviewed the most prominent results, in addition to success stories and lessons l
earned in the various stages of implementing the program, to achieve impact and sustainability in the transition towards green industry and economy in the State of Palestine, in addition to how to benefit from the program’s outputs in the early recovery and reconstruction phase in the Gaza Strip and green economic recovery in the West Bank.

Participants emphasized the solid foundations laid by the ‘Mostadammah’ program for leading sustainability and national ownership after the program ends, through partners and national teams that will continue to work on enhancing their capabilities and providing them with the necessary tools in the various comprehensive and interconnected components of the program.

Head of the UNIDO Program Office in Palestine, Ahmed Al-Farra, said: ‘Together, we have achieved many national achievements that have created tangible and effective results for the industrial sector in particular and for the national economy in general, towards achieving comprehensive and sustainable industria
l and economic development in the State of Palestine.’

He stressed that the meeting constitutes an important opportunity to explore opportunities for joint work with the international community to institutionalize services and expand the scope of interest directed to the various economic sectors, especially the industrial sector in Palestine, and to promote the uses of sustainable energy solutions more effectively to raise levels of competitiveness and contribute to reducing the environmental impact of traditional energy resources. Especially during this stage of exceptional circumstances facing the Palestinian industrial sector in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

For his part, Minister of National Economy Mohammad Al-Amour said: ‘Enhancing energy security is a top priority for the State of Palestine, and supporting our private sector towards sustainable competitiveness in the field of energy and green transformation is essential.’

He added: ‘The Sustainable Program is consistent
with our vision by strengthening the legislative framework, improving technical skills, developing technologies, and increasing awareness. These efforts are considered important to promote the adoption of sustainable solutions in Palestine.’

For his part, Minister of Industry Arafat Asfour said, ‘Enhancing the use of sustainable energy in the Palestinian industrial sector through providing a package of programs and projects implemented by the ministry with partners will contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of the industrial sector and enabling it to reach global markets,’ noting that the cost of energy in the production process constitutes a challenge and is considered the highest in the region in general.

He stressed that the transition to a green economy provides an opportunity for Palestine to protect exhaustible local resources and thus promote sustainable production in Palestinian industries.

In turn, Ibrahim Al-Afia, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Office in Jerusalem, highlighted th
e economic necessity and the role of sustainable energy.

‘The current unprecedented crisis has contributed to a rapid and significant increase in energy costs, especially for industrial companies, which has exacerbated Palestinian economic estimates. This requires the Palestinian public and private sectors to focus on sustainable energy solutions, which can be an excellent tool to mitigate the impact of the crisis and enhance the competitiveness of the Palestinian industrial sector,’ said Al-Afia.

‘Sustainable’ is a comprehensive programme launched by UNIDO in 2019, with the primary mission of enhancing competitiveness within the Palestinian industrial sector through effective promotion and facilitation of the adoption of sustainable energy solutions.

The program aimed to lay the foundations for an environment suitable for renewable energy and energy efficiency for Palestinian industry, through developing policies, expertise and clean technology innovations that would help alleviate the ongoing shortage of
energy sources and high electricity costs that have been a reality in Palestine for decades.

With a primary focus on small and medium-sized enterprises operating in these sectors such as furniture, food, agriculture, metal industries, building materials and clothing, in addition to other priority sectors identified in Palestine, the ‘Sustainable’ program worked to facilitate the activation and enforcement of guidelines for energy efficiency and renewable energy, Support the implementation of model projects that showcase the benefits of innovative, locally manufactured sustainable energy solutions, and encourage the expansion of these solutions in the industrial sector.

The Sustainable Program has also contributed to the global environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil fuels among targeted industries.

The program consisted of four interconnected components: strengthening the policy and regulatory environment for renewable energy and energy efficiency in the industrial sector, de
veloping local capabilities to design and implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in the industrial sector and thus promoting green job creation in the energy sector, and creating demand for clean energy technologies in the industrial sector. The industrial sector, supporting the green economy agenda, and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the clean technology sector.

The program succeeded in forming a technical committee that includes all the main stakeholders in promoting sustainable energy solutions for Palestinian industries, and establishing the Green Industry Department in the Ministry of National Economy, which will naturally report to the Palestinian Ministry of Industry, as it will play a central role in preserving national ownership and sustaining the results and services it achieved and developed. program, in addition to assuming responsibility for the technical committee.

More than 400 national experts were trained and qualified in the field of energy management syste
ms and renewable energy, awareness was raised about the opportunities provided by energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions, and an active clean technology entrepreneurship ecosystem was developed that is well-connected and coordinated among key players including government, private sector, academia and service providers related to promoting innovation in clean technology solutions targeting the industrial sector in Palestine.

The program included empowering three clean technology centers spread nationally to cover the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem, training trainers and mentors, and supporting more than 250 entrepreneurs and startups in developing innovative and locally directed solutions to improve energy efficiency and renewable energy in addition to innovations targeting energy interconnection. Water and food.

The Palestine Clean Technology Innovation Programme, developed under UNIDO’s Sustainable Programme, has also promoted innovation and entrepreneurship in the clean technology secto
r in Palestine. The programme aims to support entrepreneurs and start-ups in developing new locally-made clean energy products and clean technology solutions to be introduced as innovative businesses in the market.

Clean technology includes technologies that reduce emissions, improve the environment, and reduce the consumption of natural resources. Clean technologies use renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, low-carbon fuels, water management, recycling technologies, waste management technologies, and green buildings and transportation.

As the first programme developed in Palestine for the industrial cleantech sector, the Palestine Cleantech Innovation Programme provided valuable networking opportunities through business forums, competitions, trade workshops and global exhibitions.

At the conclusion of the ‘Sustainable’ program, UNIDO stressed the importance of benefiting from the results achieved by the current program and building on the benefits resulting from expanding the scope of the trans
formation of economic sectors, especially industry, towards sustainable energy sources to support the competitiveness of national industries. This will include expanding support for the transition of SMEs towards sustainable energy and carbon reduction by applying the model of stimulating investment through technical assistance and supporting innovation in clean technology solutions.

Additional support was provided to improve and enhance the capacity of national partners to plan, manage and implement activities efficiently and effectively. Links and partnerships between the government, the private sector, the Engineers Syndicate, and the specialized Renewable Energy Industry Federation will be strengthened through the activation of the Green Industry Department (GID) and its participation in the relevant technical committees that were created to serve as a platform for coordination and engagement with various relevant stakeholders.

The educational and training materials developed by the ‘Sustainable’ progra
m have also been shared and are being distributed to interested parties and published for the general public on the ‘Taqat’ platform for use by the community. Additional arrangements and specific training for trainers have been organized in partnership with the Green Industry Department to engage the Engineers Association (as a specialized training provider) through a Memorandum of Understanding that will be activated with the Ministry of National Economy and the Ministry of Industry. Training and accreditation services will be supported by engaging the Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority, the Electricity Regulatory Council, the Ministry of Labor, and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education through the Ministry of National Economy.

It was also emphasized to expand the scope of the Sustainable Programme, systematically planning how to implement it on a larger scale to achieve greater impact at the national level. Through special support, mentoring, capacity building and monitoring, natio
nal partners are equipped to implement and replicate the Sustainable Programme, as well as how to leverage the program’s outcomes in the early recovery and reconstruction phase in the Gaza Strip and green economic recovery in the West Bank.

Source: Maan News Agency