Bethlehem – On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the Mayor of Bethlehem, Mr. Maher Nicola Canawati, received the Consul General of the Kingdom of Belgium in Jerusalem, Mr. Wilfried Pfeffer, at the Municipality Hall. The meeting was attended by the Country Director of the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) in Palestine, Ms. Christelle Jocket, and an accompanying delegation of staff from the Consulate and the Agency.
The meeting was attended from the Bethlehem Municipality by Municipal Council Member and former Mayor, Mr. Hanna Hanania, along with Council Members Rehab Abu Ahour, Daoud Salahat, George Juha, Samir Abu Dayyeh, Hisham Al-Kamel, and a number of municipal employees.
The visit came within the framework of exploring ways of joint cooperation between the Bethlehem Municipality and the Belgian Development Agency to develop sustainable development projects in the city, with a focus on the areas of governance, skills building, economic development, and infrastructure development. At the beginning of the meeting, the Mayor welcomed the visiting delegation, highlighting the importance of this visit in light of the political and economic challenges plaguing the city, which have cast a shadow over vital sectors such as tourism, health, and trade, as well as the rising rates of migration. He emphasized the municipality’s readiness to strengthen international partnerships, particularly with entities with experience in supporting local communities, such as Enabel, given its direct impact on strengthening citizens’ resilience in their land.
Engineer Ziad Al-Sayeh, Director of the Planning and Development Department at the municipality, gave a detailed presentation of a number of vital projects the municipality seeks to implement, reflecting the city’s development needs. He also reviewed the projects currently being implemented with support from the Belgian Development Agency within the framework of the “Green Palestine” project, implemented by the Municipal Development and Lending Fund.
For his part, the Belgian Consul expressed his deep sorrow over the difficult reality facing the city, noting that the effects of the war have affected all aspects of life. He also emphasized the need to return to work and achieve progress to improve living conditions. He expressed his regret over the increasing rate of population migration, considering that “the people of Bethlehem are the living stones of this city, and their steadfastness is an essential element in its survival.” He expressed particular interest in the proposed projects, confirming that Belgium, through the Enabel Agency, would explore the possibility of supporting these initiatives.
For her part, Ms. Christelle Jocke emphasized the importance of collaborative work with the Bethlehem Municipality in identifying development priorities and developing effective intervention programs that respond to the needs of the population. She confirmed that the Agency would review the projects submitted within the framework of its next operational plan.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides agreed to continue coordination and form joint working groups to establish clear implementation mechanisms and prepare detailed files to present to donors, with the aim of transforming ideas into tangible projects that serve the city’s residents and enhance its development capabilities.