The Palestinian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector has grown rapidly over the last three years to approximately 250 mostly small-sized companies, employing approximately 6,000 professionals. Nearly 2,000 students graduate from Palestinian universities annually in ICT-related fields – a number that is rapidly increasing. Recognizing the potential of this sector, USAID’s efforts link leading American companies with Palestinian entrepreneurs to promote economic development in the West Bank.
Hi-Tech Hubs bring together Palestinian students, entrepreneurs, international speakers and tech enthusiasts, providing a forum to connect, innovate, lead and build momentum for entrepreneurship. USAID supports Hi-Tech Hub events where young entrepreneurs can interact with investors, learn and develop skills necessary for running their own companies. This is the third Hi-Tech Hub USAID has organized. Here, eight startups will present their prototype solutions in the tourism and gaming sectors to a panel of judges. Winners will receive USAID subcontracts to further develop their products.
USAID helped the Palestinian agribusiness sector increase exports by $25,000,000 from 2012–2013 through the provision of technical assistance on job skills, improving product quality, accessing capital and reaching new markets. USAID assists food producers participate in international trade shows, organizes meetings with international agribusinesses and distributors and facilitates the use of treated wastewater for agriculture, all of which increase investments and exports. In 2013, USAID helped negotiate ten forward contracts between Palestinian farmers and domestic and international agribusinesses, infusing $8,000,000 into the Palestinian economy.
To demonstrate the tangible benefits from the ongoing negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, the United States and Palestinian Authority are working together with international donors to support an initiative for high-impact micro-infrastructure (HIMII) projects that are in line with Palestinian national objectives. HIMII projects include the construction or renovation of health clinics, road repairs, construction of community centers and schools and other similar projects.
The Building Climate Change Resilience and Food Security Program is improving the productivity of smallholder farmers by promoting good farming practices and adoption of new technologies. The program identifies keen, hard-working farmers at the village level and develops them into “Agro-Entrepreneurs” called Village-Based Advisors who provide inputs, services and advice on good farming practices to their community.
Through the Community Cohesion Initiative (CCI), USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) seeks to increase resilience in areas vulnerable to insurgent exploitation by (1) strengthening ties between local actors, customary governance structures, and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) and (2) increasing cohesion among and between communities.
Polio, a highly infectious and sometimes deadly disease that has plagued the world since ancient times, is now at its lowest levels ever, and a global push for polio eradication by 2018 is underway. Since eradication efforts began in earnest 26 years ago (when cases numbered 350,000 annually), polio has been eliminated in more than 120 countries and remains endemic in only three.
Overview
USAID’s Partnership Contracts for Health (PCH) program provides on-budget support for the delivery of the Ministry of Public Health’s (MoPH) Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) and the Essential Package of Hospital Services (EPHS) in more than 540 health facilities, including district hospitals, comprehensive health centers, basic health centers, and sub-health center clinics across Afghanistan, as well as five provincial hospitals and more than 6,000 health posts.
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