Palestinian President Forms Committee to Oversee Administrative Reforms

File photo of President Mahmoud Abbas - Reuters
File photo of President Mahmoud Abbas - Reuters
TT

Palestinian President Forms Committee to Oversee Administrative Reforms

File photo of President Mahmoud Abbas - Reuters
File photo of President Mahmoud Abbas - Reuters

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decided Monday to form a national committee to oversee administrative reforms following corruption reports in ministries and government institutions.

Wafa news agency revealed that the committee will be chaired by the legal advisor of Abbas.

It consists of the secretary-general of the cabinet, the heads of the General Personnel Bureau, the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau, and the Palestinian Pension Agency.

The committee members will also include the chairman of the Organization and Administration Authority, the minister of justice, representatives of the Palestinian National Fund and the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs, and a representative of the General Intelligence Service.

The committee will be assigned to study the laws and regulations on which the institutional structure in the state is based. It will further handle all matters related to the public vocation and possible means to reform and develop it as well as rationalize spending.

The committee is further mandated to control the structural and vocational relations among ministries, government institutions, and PLO-affiliated institutions.

Abbas made this decision following a report published by the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau for 2020, highlighting corruption in the ministries and government institutions.

The bureau received up to 147 complaints in this regard, the report noted.

This caused controversy among Palestinians, and opposition factions demanded launching an investigation into the case to bring corrupts to justice.



EU Announces Aid for Syria and Countries Hosting Syrian Refugees

This handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency SANA, shows Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) meeting with EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib in Damascus, on January 17, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
This handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency SANA, shows Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) meeting with EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib in Damascus, on January 17, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
TT

EU Announces Aid for Syria and Countries Hosting Syrian Refugees

This handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency SANA, shows Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) meeting with EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib in Damascus, on January 17, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
This handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency SANA, shows Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) meeting with EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib in Damascus, on January 17, 2025. (SANA / AFP)

A top European Union official announced an aid package of 235 million euros ($244 million) for humanitarian needs within Syria and for countries in the region hosting displaced Syrians, especially Türkiye.

Speaking alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday during a visit to Ankara after her trip to Syria, Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, said that the situation in Syria was dire,

“The needs are dramatically immense. The humanitarian crisis is affecting millions of Syrians, and the EU will continue to work and to alleviate the suffering in response to the basic needs of the people," Lahbib said.

Türkiye hosts the world’s largest number of refugees, including up to 3 million Syrians.

“Türkiye’s hospitality for the Syrian refugees has been crucial over the years,” Lahbib said. “Türkiye’s role is crucial in providing humanitarian corridors for the EU to deliver emergency assistance to Syria.

“The region is in geopolitical turmoil, and it would be important for the European Union to work together with Türkiye and provide the adequate response by the international community.”