PASAY CITY, Philippines — The Philippines hosted a meeting of East Asian and regional officials on Wednesday to discuss support for Palestinian development, as governments looked for ways to sustain aid and cooperation amid the worsening humanitarian situation.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro led the Philippine side at the fifth ministerial meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development, or CEAPAD, held at the Philippine International Convention Center. The gathering brought together participants to review ongoing assistance efforts and discuss how to coordinate future support for Palestine.
CEAPAD was created in 2013 as a regional framework to promote Palestinian state-building through development cooperation, technical assistance and capacity-building. This year’s meeting in Manila was held to keep momentum behind the initiative and follow up on the action plan adopted at last year’s ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Key takeaways from the meeting included renewed support for Palestinian development, stronger coordination among regional partners, and a continued focus on humanitarian assistance, early recovery and reconstruction needs. Officials also underscored the importance of long-term development efforts, including education, infrastructure and livelihoods, as part of broader peace-building goals.
At the discussion stage before the ministerial meeting, the Palestinian side highlighted expectations for the talks in light of conditions in Gaza and the West Bank, while Japan and the Philippines outlined the purpose, preparations and next steps for the gathering.
