About OQR

The Quartet, set up in 2002, consists of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia. Its mandate is to help mediate Middle East peace negotiations and to support Palestinian economic development and institution-building in preparation for eventual statehood. It meets regularly at the level of the Quartet Principals (United Nations Secretary General, United States Secretary of State, Foreign Minister of Russia, and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) and the Quartet Special Envoys.

The Quartet Representative, Tony Blair, is charged with implementing a development agenda in line with the Quartet’s mandate: promoting economic growth and job creation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and supporting the institution-building agenda of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The goal is to promote transformative economic change on the ground, underpinning the top-down political process aiming to promote a final settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.

The Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR) consists of a team of policy advisors based in Jerusalem entrusted with shaping and implementing the development agenda of the Quartet Representative. The policy advisors are either seconded or supported by partner countries and organizations or employed directly by the OQR. The major donors providing budget support to the OQR are the United States Government, the European Commission and the Norwegian Government.

This advisory team works closely with all levels of the Palestinian National Authority, the Government of Israel, the international donor community, Palestinian civil society, and the Palestinian and Israeli private sectors to implement the development agenda of the Quartet Representative.

A few examples of key OQR achievements include:

Facilitating Large Economic Projects - Secured Israeli release of electromagnetic frequencies in November 2009 for the commercial launch of a second Palestinian mobile telephone operator Wataniya [investment worth USD 350 million]
Improving Movement and Access - Facilitated the opening of the Jalameh Crossing between the northern part of the West Bank and Israel enabling vast numbers of Arab Israelis to visit the PA [supported the economic revitalization of the northern West Bank]
Reconstructing and Opening Up the Gaza Strip - Supported the accelerated implementation of the large Northern Gaza Emergency Sewage Treatment Project (NGEST) and Sheikh Ajleen Project from 2008-2011 [multi-million dollar infrastructure projects]; negotiated a change in the Israeli closure regime on imports into Gaza in June 2010 significantly expanding the volume and range of imported products into Gaza; and secured approval for the export of Gazan products from the furniture, textile and agricultural sectors to all third markets in February 2011.
Supporting Area C Development - Facilitated Israeli approval to fast-track the issuance of permits for the construction and rehabilitation of 21 new schools and health clinics in Area C in the West Bank in February 2011 [coordinated with the Office of the US Special Envoy].

Who We Are

The OQR Advisors are led by:

Dr. Firas Raad (Head of Mission and seconded by the World Bank)
Mr. Mark Singleton (Deputy Head of Mission and seconded by the Government of the Netherlands)

OQR Advisers based in Jerusalem, Gaza and London are:

Ms. Natacha Alexander - Special Adviser (seconded by the British Government)
Mr. Johan Berggren - East Jerusalem Adviser (seconded by the Swedish Government)
Mr. Rami Dajani - Rule of Law Adviser (supported by the Government of the Netherlands)
Mr. Hendrik Denker - Infrastructure Adviser (seconded by the German Government)
Mr. Awad Duaibes - Political and Media Adviser
Mr. Nicolas Harrocks - Senior Adviser (based in London and seconded by the British Government)
Mr. Neil Kritz - Rule of Law Adviser (seconded by the US Institute of Peace and supported by the Government of the Netherlands)
Ms. Rebecka Mason – Adviser (based in London and seconded by the British Government)
Mr. Michael Neuwirth – Area C Adviser (seconded by the United Nations)
Mr. Nassim Nour - Private Sector Adviser (seconded by the British Government)
Mr. Bader Rock - Private Sector Adviser (supported by the Australian Government)
Mr. Hadi Abu Shahla - Development Adviser (based in Gaza)
Dr. Tim Williams - Movement and Access Adviser (supported by the New Zealand Government)
Ms. Ruti Winterstein - Political and Media Adviser
Ms. Kelly Wright - Special Adviser (seconded by the British Government)