Communiqué from co-Hosts of the Wilton Park conference on Financing Gaza’s Reconstruction
Outcome Statement: Communiqué from co-Hosts of the Wilton Park conference on Financing Gaza’s Reconstruction
This week we saw the start of a ceasefire, the release of hostages, Palestinians able to return to their families and the resumption of aid at scale. We thank the US for its leadership in getting us to this point, and the mediators for their tireless efforts. Now, as we work towards finding a lasting peace, we also need sustained economic recovery and the reconstruction of Gaza.
The scale of destruction makes clear the urgent need for practical solutions. That is why we, the Governments of the UK, Egypt and Palestine, have brought together international investors and partner governments. In discussions at Wilton Park this week, we welcomed key stakeholders, international investors, Palestinian private sector representatives, and International and Arab Governments to discuss ways to meet this significant challenge, including through mobilising private finance.
Gaza’s reconstruction will cost tens-of-billions of dollars. It will require both the financing and the active participation and expertise of the private sector. Our talks this week have made significant progress in identifying ways to create sustainable private finance, while putting Palestinians at the front-and-centre of the recovery and reconstruction efforts, and building on existing reconstruction plans outlined in the Arab Islamic Early Recovery, Reconstruction and Development Plan for Gaza, and the Two-State Solution Conference Outcome Document.
We are committed to building on the progress of this week to support the forthcoming Cairo International Conference on Recovery, Reconstruction and Development of Gaza in November and advance international action to support Gaza’s reconstruction as part of our collective efforts to build a political horizon for the State of Palestine and the two-state solution.