"I thank you for your support by providing capacity building programs through trainings for around two thousand Palestinian civil servants in Indonesia," Hamdallah said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah expressed his gratitude to Indonesia for providing capacity building programs for the Palestinian civil servants by organizing a series of trainings in Indonesia.

"I thank you for your support by providing capacity building programs through trainings for around two thousand Palestinian civil servants in Indonesia," Hamdallah noted during a joint press conference with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, following a bilateral meeting held at the Merdeka Palace here on Friday.

After holding a bilateral meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on economic, education, and tourism cooperation between Indonesia and Palestine.

The Palestinian delegates attending the meeting were Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad Malki, National Economic Minister Jawad N.A. Hirzallah, Planning and Administrative Development Minister Mohammad Abu Ramadan, and Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Fariz N. Mehdawi.

In the bilateral meeting, Yudhoyono was accompanied, among others, by Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, and Chief of the National Police General Sutarman.

In the evening, President Yudhoyono hosted a state banquet for Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.

The Palestinian prime minister commenced his official visit to Indonesia on Friday, and will be participating in the Second Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD II) on Saturday.

Yudhoyono and Hamdallah are scheduled to deliver keynote speeches during the opening ceremony of the CEAPAD II, which will highlight the expectations of Palestine and in what capacity can the CEAPAD member countries offer assistance to Palestine in building a viable state with solid institutions and an active economy. The first CEAPAD was organized in Japan, on February 2013.

Coinciding with the conference is a two-day CEAPAD Business Meeting and Trade Expo scheduled to be organized at the Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta, between March 1 and 2, 2014, by the Indonesian foreign ministry in cooperation with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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