About us

Who we are

MOUSTADAMA – the Arabic equivalent to SUSTAINABLE in English -- is a four-year programme that runs through 2023 to boost competitiveness in the industrial sector in Palestine through promoting and applying sustainable energy solutions.

MOUSTADAMA focuses on small and medium-sized industrial enterprises to help them build their capacity for achieving energy efficiency and use of renewable energy to counter the chronic energy shortages and high costs of electricity that are a permanent reality in Palestine.

Prioritizing energy efficiency and increasing access to energy through renewable energy technologies, MOUSTADAMA contributes to the global environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of fossil fuel among targeted industries.

The Programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in partnership with the Ministry of National Economy in Palestine.

Promoting an Energy Sustainable Palestinian Industry

Affiliates and Partners

MOUSTADAMA is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and funded by the European Union (EU), in partnership with the Ministry of National Economy (MNE) and in cooperation with the Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority (PENRA) as national counterparts.

The EU provides funding and works closely with UNIDO to increase the impact of the project and its support to the Palestinian industries. The EU is committed to strategic initiatives that expand the reach of the European Green Deal to neighbouring countries.

The Ministry of National Economy (MNE) plays an important role as a partner in the design and implementation phase of Programme by supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to create an enabling business environment and have a sustainable impact for economic development within the Palestinian industrial sector.

The Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority (PENRA) is actively involved in the operation and enforcement of net metering regulations and other renewable energy policy guidelines.

UNIDO Palestine has extensive experience in the development of an inclusive, sustainable, and competitive industrial sector. Since 2014, it has applied its proven methodology for value chain development by clustering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within a given value chain. Focusing on the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) as the most promising sector to stimulate income-generating activities, UNIDO Palestine designed and implemented a comprehensive training programme to boost skills development, innovation, and access to markets. The Nablus Furniture Cluster (Fund: EU and Italy), the Bethlehem Treasures Cluster (Fund: EU and Italy), the Hebron Shoe Cluster – Upgrading the Footwear Value Chain in Hebron, Palestine, and the Creative Garments in the Northern Region of the West Bank (Fund: Japan) are the geographic clusters that have benefited from the UNIDO methodology and assistance.

In 2019, UNIDO Palestine included energy security at the heart of its strategy, promoting with its MOUSTADAMA Programme the wide scale adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in the industrial sector to increase the resilience and competitiveness of Palestinian enterprises.

UNIDO Palestine has built strong relationships with donors, the Government, counterparts, and key stakeholders. With its international best practices, cooperation, and proven experience, UNIDO is well-positioned to create large-scale demand for clean energy technologies in Palestine.

Our work

MOUSTADAMA addresses some key challenges faced by Palestinian industries in terms of energy supply, access, consumption, technology, and long-term energy stability and sustainability. It works to improve energy conservation practices and encourages the use of renewable energy solutions. Its holistic approach, that considers both supply and demand aspects of energy management, integrates the development of new design and maintenance of RE/EE technology with the use of sustainable energy guidelines and the promotion of local cleantech innovation and entrepreneurship.

Specifically, MOUSTADAMA helps to:

Strengthen

Strengthen policies and regulations for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Develop

Develop local skills to design renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Create

Create demand for clean energy technologies to boost a clean and green economy.

Foster

Foster innovation and entrepreneurship for cleantech solutions.

With greater independence, few interruptions to electricity supply, and more affordable energy, Palestinian industries can thrive, fuel economic development, and increase job opportunities, while also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Approach and methodology

MOUSTADAMA follows the UNIDO “EE First” approach, which means that energy interventions are carried out first to improve energy management and conservation practices and then to increase energy supply through renewable energy.

Focusing on no-cost or low-cost energy efficiency measures, immediate savings can be generated with little financial burden, motivating later investment in costlier energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. Through this approach, SMEs reduce costs of production and improve their long-term competitiveness.

Limitations on access to materials and equipment necessitate that locally driven energy technologies are developed and customized within the Palestinian context. Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship for Palestinian service providers through its accelerator Programme, MOUSTADAMA supports cleantech entrepreneurs and start-ups to develop these solutions.