University Welcomes Chair of the Palestine Investment Fund

Chairman of the Board of the Palestine Investment Fund and Economic Adviser to the Palestinian President Dr. Mohammad Mustafa visited President of Birzeit University Dr. Abdullatif Abuhijleh on December 6, 2017.

The meeting, which was attended by the Chairman’s accompanying delegation and Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics Dr. Grace Khoury, discussed potential avenues for cooperation between the Fund and the University and emphasized the importance of cooperation among the public and private sectors and the educational institutions in Palestine.

Dr. Mustafa also presented a lecture entitled “The Vision of the Palestine Investment Fund Within the Political Variables.” The lecture, chaired by Director of the Master’s Program in Business Administration Dr. Suhail Sultan, framed the geopolitical results of the Palestinian reconciliation efforts and the economic situation within the broader political context. The state of the Palestinian economy, according to Dr. Mustafa, is marked by the decrease of the economic growth indicators, the increase in unemployment rates – especially among youth – the import-basis nature of the economy, and the degradation of the infrastructure.

Dr. Mustafa reiterated that, within such a sensitive economic context, the Fund’s philosophy and mission revolve around three main tenets: using financial return on investment to leverage the Fund’s resources; ; influencing the Palestinian economy and community through the Fund’s investments and projects; and stimulating creativity and innovation in various aspects of the economy.

A discussion on the prospects for the development of investment  in Palestine followed the Chairman’s lecture, which he ended with a presentation on the Fund’s achievements, projects, and future opportunities.