Conference on The Palestinian Economy: theoretical and practical challenges

University of Pavia, 15-16^th June 2010

The Universities of Pavia and Sienna – both active members of PEACE – launched large scale cooperation project in 2005 with the universities of Birzeit, An Najah and Bethlehem in Palestine. After having set up Master and doctor courses in International Cooperation and Development at the Palestinian universities, taught by teachers from Palestine and from universities and institutions of the Euro-Mediterranean area, emphasis has been shifted on research focused on issues related to economic development and the Mediterranean Basin such as trade regimes and labor mobility.

A specific goal of research carried out thus far was focused on international support to the reconstruction of the Palestinian economy.  In particular, the following areas of study have been identified: fiscal systems and budgetary policies; industrial and labor economics; Middle-Eastern regional economic cooperation and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, including international trade and finance, multilateral agreements and capital mobility.

A conference on The Palestinian Economy: theoretical and practical Challenges was held recently at the University of Pavia on 16^th June 2010. as the outcome of a major joint research work which has been carried out by Italian and Palestinian economists and presents the final results of the FIRB research Project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Education (MIUR) and coordinated by the Department of Political Economy and Quantitative Methods in collaboration with the Department of Public Economics of the University of Pavia. This part of a three-years project funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) under the FIRB (Fondo per gli Investimenti della Ricerca di Base) Programme.

14 contributions presented by researches from the partner institutions, the World Bank and UNCTAD highlighted the main characteristics of a sustainable economic development in Palestine.