Australia has a long history of supporting Palestinians and we continue this support through the Palestinian Territories COVID-19 Development Response Plan. This plan sets out the priorities for Australia’s development cooperation program in the COVID-19 context with the purpose of contributing to health security, stability and economic recovery for the Palestinian people. In 2022-23 the planned bilateral allocation to the Palestinian Territories (PTs) is $17.1 million while total official development assistance is estimated to be $29.5 million.
Australia has also maintained a longstanding scholarships through the Australia Awards. This program contributes to the education of future leaders in areas of economic recovery and long-term resilience.
Health Security
We are providing humanitarian support through multilateral humanitarian partners, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). These partners are key to delivering health services to vulnerable Palestinians and are frontline COVID-19 responders.
Stability
Australia is working with a range of partners to ensure food security, social protection mechanisms for refugees and access to clean water and sanitation to at-risk populations in Gaza.
Economic Recovery
The Australia Awards program will contribute to the education of future leaders in areas of economic recovery and long-term resilience.
Development Scholarships - Palestinian Territories
Australia commenced a scholarship program to the Palestinian Territories in 2011 and offers around 10 Masters-level scholarships each year.
Award recipients are selected from all sector of Palestinian society, including Ministries in the Palestinian Authority, civil society, universities and the private sector. The scholarships focus on a range of options that seeks to develop Palestinian capacity in areas such as public sector management, including public financial management, and agriculture/water resource management.
In line with the Australian Government’s strategy “Development for All” applicants with disability are encouraged to apply.
Gender balance is a priority for the Government of Australia; female candidates are encouraged to apply.
The scholarships program opens for applications in February each year.
The closing date for applications for this year was 29 April 2022.
Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR)
The Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR) was established by the Australian Government in January 2003, as an initiative to strengthen ties between Australia and Arab countries.
For more information, visit the CAAR website: