The UNCTAD secretariat's work on the economy of the occupied Palestinian territory began in 1979, when Conference resolution 109 (V) requested UNCTAD to initiate studies for the benefit of the Palestinian people in collaboration with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

UNCTAD was the first international organization to examine the structural weaknesses of the Palestinian economy and coherent strategies for setting the economy on the path of sustainable development.

The Israel-Palestine peace accords of 1993-1994 highlighted the relevance of UNCTAD's forward-looking work on the Palestinian economy, providing a new economic environment with promising opportunities for accelerating growth and ensuring a more sustained path of development.

Within this context, and guided by the findings and recommendations of UNCTAD's analytical studies, the secretariat initiated in 1995-1997 an integrated programme of technical assistance activities in favour of the Palestinian people.

The programme served as the broad framework for a series of advisory missions, training sessions and workshops, in response to requests for assistance from different Ministries of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

UNCTAD's assistance to the Palestinian people was further intensified in response to the severe crisis that had been affecting the Palestinian economy since October 2000.