Cyprus trains Palestinian civil servants

As if Cyprus did not have too much bureacracy of its own, the government has decided to export its red tape service to poorer countries.

Twenty Palestinian civil servants successfully concluded in Cyprus a three-week training seminar organised by the Academy of Public Management.

The seminar was the third of its kind offered by Cyprus in the framework of the “Aid Plan” towards the Palestinians implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More seminars will he held in 2006.

The Palestinian civil servants are posted in various services such as the office of the Palestinian President, the Prime Minister`s office, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Tourism and the Interior.

During the seminar, the Palestinian trainees had the opportunity to improve their administrative capacities, and visited Ministries and other government services of Cyprus.

In this framework, the Police Academy trained in Autumn 44 senior Palestinian policemen.

In a short address at the graduation ceremony, the Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Sotos Zackheos said that Palestine is one of the five countries to receive development aid from Cyprus, which wishes to contribute to the efforts to solve the Middle East question on the basis of UN resolutions.

Palestinian Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Abdullah Siam said that these seminars contribute to the improved training of Palestinian civil servants, adding that cooperation with Cyprus in this field will continue.