Reverse Linkage

65 DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION Besides meeting officials, the Palestinian delegation conducted a field visit to Dambulla where major prob- lems were noticed in the absence of irrigation systems and the prevalence of poor fertility. Another field visit was conducted to Kantale, Trincomalee District where the Palestinian experts met with representatives from the Sri Lankan government and the farmers’ association. After discussion, both sides agreed to run a pilot programme, beginning in the Maha cultivation season, on three, five- acre plots belonging to each farmers’ association. The plan for the first year was to learn, develop skills, and introduce new technology and crops. The mission concluded with multiple agreements on programmes to be implemented. Besides the pilot programme, the parties agreed to launch a five-year project between PICA and SEMA where the shortcomings in the agriculture sector, as observed by delegates, would be addressed. The work has been designed to scale up to coun- trywide and to include public–private sector partnerships. The PICA delegation expressed its willingness to contribute and share experiences. The project will involve 60 Sri Lankan farmers who will be trained on all aspects, and a farmer exchange programme to be initialised within the first year. Similarly, an agricultural mission was dispatched to Mauritania by PICA in early 2017. Its purpose was to continue assessing the condition of agriculture in the country in order to formulate a proposal to improve the harvest using new technology and to introduce different methods of agricultural production at national level, using Palestinian know-how and expertise. This, too, is part of PICA’s Solidarity Through Development programme, supported heavily by the UNDP and the Islamic Development Bank. A second mission with a specialism in health was able to trans- fer Palestinian knowledge in the fields of dental, abdominal, orthopaedic, and paediatric surgery over a period of two weeks. A third delegation was made in the field of energy to assess the potential of introducing renewable energy projects in the electricity, irrigation, and water extraction sectors. In Senegal, PICA is taking steps to launch a three-year educational programme in collaboration with the Senegalese Ministry of Higher Education, interested universities from both countries and relevant partner institutions. The aim is to help develop an educational curriculum in Arabic for the new governmental university in Dakar, teach the curricu- lum and train local teachers. An exploratory mission was conducted, a joint working plan agreed on, and the technical and educational cooperation programme was launched in November 2017. At a time where negativity and loss of hope are prevalent, the work of the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency gives many of us hope for a better future. The future of the State of Palestine is being forged by the actions of those who wish to extend a hand to the global community as a sign of friendship and cooperation. Developing communities around the world look towards a brighter future for their peoples and for their children. The shift towards sustainable development and cooperation between the countries of the Global South is of major significance, especially as all cooperating parties realise that a positive outcome will be the result of positive action, working towards a better world for everyone, together. Image: PICA Image: PICA Palestinian medical mission conducting paediatric spinal surgery training for the Rwandan medical team, King Faisal Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda, 2017 PICA’s head of orthopaedic programme, Dr. Alaa Azmi, diagnosing a Pakistani child with spinal deformity, Lahore hospital, Pakistan, 2017