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tokten - UNDP

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The United Nations Development Programme/Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People<br />

(<strong>UNDP</strong>/PAPP) has been privileged to serve the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip<br />

for over twenty years. During this period, <strong>UNDP</strong>/PAPP has mobilized over $300 million in grants to<br />

support the rehabilitation of infrastructure and to build the capacities of Palestinian institutions.<br />

One of the most sectorally diversified and sophisticated of these activities has been TOKTEN, which<br />

stands for the "Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals". With over 4.5 million Palestinians<br />

in the Diaspora, virtually all of them highly talented and interested in serving their fellow Palestinians<br />

in the peace-building and development process, TOKTEN has a rich pool of talent on which to draw.<br />

Since 1995 <strong>UNDP</strong>/PAPP has benefited from the talents of over 200 Palestinian women and men,<br />

from outside the West Bank and Gaza and from many walks of life, who have volunteered their services<br />

in a variety of disciplines to strengthen Palestinian institutions. They have ranged from civil aviation<br />

experts to strategic planners and education and public health experts to leaders in information<br />

technology. Individually, they work with a Palestinian Authority or non-governmental/private sector<br />

counterpart for at least three months, but frequently for longer periods of time. A few have even<br />

decided to change their "expatriate" status and return to the land of their<br />

forefathers on a permanent basis on behalf of the Palestinian people.<br />

<strong>UNDP</strong>/PAPP has been very fortunate to have good partners who have<br />

provided the financial resources to support the TOKTEN Programme, which<br />

was initially funded by the Governments of France and Norway, and more recently<br />

through very generous contributions from the Government of Japan.<br />

Another good partner is the Minister and staff of the Ministry of Planning<br />

and International Cooperation, which is the <strong>UNDP</strong>/PAPP counterpart in<br />

the Palestinian Authority for TOKTEN, as well as the many good<br />

partners in Palestinian Authority ministries, research centers and nongovernmental<br />

organizations. To all, <strong>UNDP</strong>/PAPP is sincerely grateful.<br />

In less than five years, the impact of TOKTEN has and is being felt<br />

throughout the fabric of Palestinian society. This publication is designed<br />

to give its readers a flavor of this, uniquely Palestinian, activity which,<br />

since its inception, has been faithfully and diligently guided by an<br />

extraordinary colleague, Mr. Mounir Kleibo. I commend it to you as an<br />

extraordinary success story along the path to peace and development.<br />

Timothy S. Rothermel<br />

Special Representative of the Administrator<br />

<strong>UNDP</strong>/PAPP<br />

Jerusalem - April 2000

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