Palestinians walk past the rubble of houses and buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip January 29, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry is fully committed to working alongside Japan under the framework of the Conference on Cooperation Among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (Ceapad) to answer the clarion call of the Palestinians for assistance.
The ministry, widely known as Wisma Putra, in a statement, said such commitment is in line with the recent statement made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday (Jan 29) on the urgent need to accelerate efforts for the reconstruction of Gaza and Palestine.
"This initiative reflects Malaysia’s proactive role in securing international support and fostering collaboration to ensure that reconstruction efforts in Palestine are sustainable and impactful,” said the statement.
According to Wisma Putra, it is currently coordinating with Japan to convene the 4th Ministerial Meeting of Ceapad (Ceapad IV) in Malaysia this year.
The focus of Ceapad IV will include capacity-building programmes, the provision of comprehensive humanitarian assistance, and the redevelopment of critical infrastructure in Palestine.
These areas are crucial in strengthening Palestinian institutions and improving the lives of the Palestinian people, in line with Malaysia’s steadfast commitment to Palestine’s sovereignty and self-determination, it added.
Malaysia and Japan will be engaging Ceapad participants to secure commitments and endorsements necessary for the success of the group’s efforts in redeveloping Gaza.
"This includes a series of coordination meetings ahead of the conference to ensure that assistance and contributions to Palestine are delivered in a more efficient, orderly, and sustainable manner for long-term development,” said Wisma Putra.
Ceapad is a regional platform initiated by Japan in 2013 to support Palestinian state-building efforts by leveraging the resources, knowledge, and economic development experiences of East Asian nations.
The most recent Ceapad Working-Level Meeting on July 18, 2024, reaffirmed the urgent need for greater coordination in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the importance of long-term recovery and reconstruction alongside governance reforms to ensure sustainable development for Palestine.
Malaysia remains resolute in its unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and will continue to work closely with its regional and international partners to ensure that Ceapad IV translates into concrete actions that support Palestine’s reconstruction and long-term stability, it added.- Bernama
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