بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم                                                               Statement By Mme. Zahra Seddigh Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran Before The Trade and Development Board 72nd Executive Session Agenda Item7: Report on UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinian people Geneva, 17 October 2022     Mr. President Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen, My delegation would like to align itself with the statements delivered by representatives of The United Republic of Tanzania and Philippine respectively on behalf of the G77 and China and Asia Pacific Group. We would like also to thank the UNCTAD Secretariat for the insightful report on the Development in the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In this regard, my delegation would raise the following points:  1.     According to the report, the Occupied Palestine has experienced a sharp decline in economic activity and the second largest contraction since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994. The economic indicators such as the high rate of unemployment reaching out to 50% in Gaza Bank, the declining average income since 2016 and the GDP per capita remained below of that in 2011, show clearly that the situation is getting worse year by year. 2.     The Zionist Regime has followed and implemented the policies aiming at deep structural deterioration of Palestinian people economy through long-term de-agriculturalization, de-industrialization and de-development approach.  Hindering the access of Palestinian people to regional and global markets, exploiting the Palestinian as a reservoir of cheap labor and illegal settlements expanding and demolition of Palestinian assets are among the jeopardizing polices which have been highlighted in the report. 3.     The successive years of negative economic situation, the reality for which the key economic indicators and trends above-mentioned are significant evidences, reaffirm that the occupation is the major obstacle to development in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. We agree with the point of view of the report that the persistent economic crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is rooted in occupation.   Mr. President, For concluding, my delegation would retain its fundamental position that the international community is not able to reach out a sustainable solution for the Palestine and Palestinian People if we do not address the political, military and economic occupation as the root causes of this situation. In this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran would recommend the UNCTAD to strengthen its role to assist the Palestinian people and supporting and promoting the equipment of Palestinian government to cope with the far-reaching economic responsibilities on its shoulders through facilitating its access to external borrowing as well as to have a national currency and independent monetary and fiscal policy as  steps toward the full realization of the right of all Palestinian to self-determination and their right to development. Thank you