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Lord Stone of Blackheath visits Gaza with the Office of the Quartet Representative and the UK's DfID

The Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR) and the UK Department for International Development (DIFD) today organised a trip for Lord Andrew Stone of Blackheath to visit cash crops cooperatives and garment manufacturers in the Gaza Strip.

Lord Stone is Director of Moon Valley Enterprises Ltd, an initiative to help Palestinian farmers access the UK fresh food market. Today’s Gaza trip was aimed at facilitating the export of Gazan farmers’ produce to the UK retail market. Lord Stone also met with garment manufacturers and discussed potential socio-economic cooperation projects with prominent Gazan businessmen. As a result of the visit Lord Stone made an initial purchase of 4000 pieces of wool pullovers from one producer to export to the UK market.

Lord Stone and the delegation of OQR and DFID representatives visited the Beit Hanoun Agricultural Cooperative, founded in 1965 to provide agricultural and marketing services to farmers. They also visited the Gaza Agricultural Cooperative, and met with representatives of the Palestine Agricultural Development Association (PARC).

Visits were made to the Ashour Clothes Workshop and the Ostaz Garment Workshop. Only 10% of Ashour’s capacity and 20% of Ostaz’s capacity is currently utilised, and all of their production goes to the local Gazan market. Both workshops altered their production lines to target the local market following the establishment of the blockade on Gaza mid-2007, but both are ready to export as soon as this is allowed. The OQR is working to ensure shipments can soon commence, reflecting an agreement with the Israeli Government that Gazan producers can export garments and furniture to international markets from April. Lord Stone perceived great potential for exports to the UK market of selected types of garments.

Lord Stone and the delegation met with Mr Mamoun Abu Shahla, Vice Chairman of the Bank of Palestine, Mr Faysal Shawa, Vice Chairman of the Palestine Trade Center (PalTrade) and Mr Ali Abu Shahla, leading consultant engineer and civil society actor. Part of their discussion focused on Gaza’s infrastructure needs, the prospect of productive uses of solid waste in Gaza as well as the need for strong universities in the Gaza Strip.