Casablanca – The Bayt Mal Al-Quds Acharif Agency is preparing its 2027-2030 action plan as part of its Vision 2030, following three days of consultations with Palestinian institutional, economic and social partners in Ramallah and Al-Quds.
Mohamed Salem Cherkaoui, the agency’s director in charge of management, led the meetings, which brought together representatives of Palestinian institutions, religious authorities, businesses and civil society. The consultations aimed to gather proposals on priorities and future cooperation and shape a plan that responds to the needs of Al-Quds while following the principle of sustainability in planning and action.
Cherkaoui said the new vision draws on the High Directives of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, as well as the values that guided the agency’s creation. It also builds on the agency’s field experience since it began operating in 1998.
The consultations included the PLO’s Department of Jerusalem Affairs, the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs, the Jerusalem Governorate, Islamic and Christian bodies, the Directorate of Education and Teaching, the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Al-Quds University and the Bank of Palestine.
The agency also formed an advisory committee made up of Jerusalem figures from religious, economic and social backgrounds. The committee will contribute to the Vision 2030 process and review a preliminary draft prepared by agency experts.
From direct aid to long-term empowerment
Cherkaoui said the new vision aims to gradually move from direct in-kind assistance toward empowerment and sustainability. The agency plans to build on its experience supporting productive associations, emerging businesses, traders and farmers.
The plan also puts governance, digitalization and compliance with international quality standards among its priorities. The agency will increase its use of electronic platforms to improve transparency, monitoring and evaluation.
Diversifying funding sources will form another part of the strategy. The agency plans to develop an electronic donation platform, expand productive waqf, promote the “Made for Palestine” label and mobilize corporate social responsibility.
Morocco has fully funded the agency since 2011 and that it has received no funding from another party since then, Cherkaoui noted. The agency spends around $3 million a year on operating costs and nearly $4 million on projects. Moroccan government institutions, local authorities, associations and individuals provide the donations that finance these activities.
During the next phase, the agency will focus on preserving Al-Quds’ historical, civilizational and cultural heritage while strengthening residents’ resilience through economic and social empowerment programs. Its Vision 2030 also covers trade, tourism and agriculture, digital transformation, a regional innovation center and a unified and secure information system.
The agency will treat Jerusalem’s residents as partners in planning and implementation rather than simply as beneficiaries. Education, healthcare, housing, youth and culture will receive particular attention, alongside women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Palestinian officials and religious representatives welcomed the agency’s work during the consultations. Adnan Al-Husseini, a member of the PLO Executive Committee and head of its Jerusalem Affairs Department, cited the agency’s education, social development and economic empowerment programs and called for their continuation and expansion.
Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib, president of the Jerusalem Waqf Council, praised the agency’s support for residents’ resilience. William Shomali, general patriarchal vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, pointed to Morocco’s tangible presence in the city through the agency’s educational and social projects.
Archbishop Atallah Hanna also praised the agency’s permanent presence in Al-Quds and King Mohammed VI’s efforts for the city and the Palestinian people. Former Jerusalem Affairs Minister Hind Khoury welcomed the agency’s strategic plan and its decision to involve Jerusalem society in identifying its needs, stressing the importance of moving from planning to implementation.
