Project Summary

The blockade imposed by Israel in mid-2007 represents a significant constraint and continues to weaken economic opportunities and people's livelihoods in the Gaza Strip. This includes the restrictions on the transfer of goods and entry of construction materials from and into the Gaza Strip.

The Access Coordination and Monitoring Project (ACMP) was established in December 2010 to facilitate and account for the entry of materials used for UNDP projects in the Gaza Strip, in support of the recovery, rehabilitation, construction and reconstruction process, particularly following the 2008 hostilities.

With the Israeli Cabinet decision in June 2010 to relax certain aspects of the closure policy on Gaza, access of goods and materials through international projects became more possible. Accordingly, UNDP/PAPP created an access coordination and monitoring support project to facilitate the coordination and entry of materials and goods for UNDP infrastructure projects and be responsible for the monitoring and control of the movement, storage, handling and verification of the end-use of materials.

Project Objectives:

• Facilitate and account for the access of goods and construction materials into the Gaza Strip for UNDP/PAPP projects.
• Establish access facilitation and monitoring systems to secure approval from Israel on the import of dual- use construction materials into the Gaza Strip for UNDP/PAPP projects.
• Demonstrate that imported materials are adequately used for the projects they were intended for.
• Enhance working relationships with associated parties and stakeholders.
• Support key rehabilitation activities that are underway, thus assisting in the recovery and reconstruction process of the Gaza Strip.

Within its current capacity, the access project is fully equipped to advance humanitarian and development projects for UNDP/PAPP as well as other organizations and agencies, which will eventually improve the social and economic conditions of the people living in the Gaza Strip. The project has warehousing facilities at the Gaza Industrial Estate, where the imported materials may be safely stored before being released to projects sites for implementation.

Accomplishments and Progress

Since the establishment of the Access Coordination and Monitoring Support Project (ACMSP) and up to May 2019, the Access Team managed to coordinate and receive a total of 265,171.21 Tons (7,126 trucks) of different construction materials. This includes 208, 556 tons of aggregate, 49,075 tons of cement, and 4,409 tons of steel, in addition to the loads of 530 trucks of miscellaneous items.

The coordinated materials injected life into 187 different projects, with a value of over US$ 290 million. While another 37 projects, with value over US$ 124 million, are in the pipeline.

The Access Coordination and Monitoring Support Project has increased the availability of construction materials to enable the implementation of various UNDP/PAPP projects across the Gaza Strip. These projects focused on the improvement of essential services, thus generated millions of intensive labour work days for the Gaza population. The Access Project is an effective model for the coordination of material entry into the Gaza Strip, and is contributing to the improvement of the livelihoods of thousands of Palestinians in the Strip.