The Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) was formed pursuant to a tri-partite agr...
The Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) was formed pursuant to a tri-partite agreement between the Government of Israel (GoI), the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the UN, brokered following the 2014 conflict between Israel and Hamas, to enable the entrance and use of much-needed construction and other dual-use materials for large-scale reconstruction after the conflict, taking into consideration Israel’s security concerns. The GRM is a rare example of functional cooperation between the PA and GoI, and, though not formalized in the agreement, includes day to day coordination between de facto authorities in Gaza (DFAs) and the PA. Although, in name, the GRM implies a limited reconstruction mandate, it has been widely used to facilitate the entrance and use of various dual-use materials for infrastructure and other projects that are desperately needed for both humanitarian support, early recovery and development projects in Gaza. Importantly, the GRM has, through its monitoring and facilitation system, ensured that materials and equipment intended for such projects are not diverted for military or other unintended use. It has also ensured a continued role for the PA in governmental coordination and oversight of housing, infrastructure, private sector and economic development in Gaza.
At the heart of the GRM mechanism lie several important overarching principles:
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Access to dual use materials must be embedded in a transparent and predictable process based on needs.
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Any dual use material entering the GRM for reconstruction or other purposes must be jointly agreed upon in advance by the GoI and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
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Private sector businesses and individuals must have equitable access to materials in the same way as all international organizations – large or small. This is in contrast to previous mechanisms that primarily benefited only those private companies working with large organizations capable of negotiating directly with the GoI, such as UNRWA or UNDP.
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The PA should play its rightful role as the legitimate government in Gaza in coordination and strategic overview of the projects implemented through the mechanism.
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‘Dual-use’ materials entering Gaza under the GRM would be subject to regular facilitation and monitoring by the UN.
The implementation of the GRM is facilitated by the Access Support Unit (ASU) which also facilitates the movement of humanitarian and development community personnel. The ASY-(Goods) team is located in Gaza and monitors the supply chain of dual-use materials. This team, consists of engineers, quantity surveyors, stock monitors, knowledge management and IT experts. , Monitoring and facilitation is managed through the Gaza Reconstruction and Materials Monitoring System (GRAMMS), which is an online tool to monitor the request, flow and use of dual-use materials. The unit is also responsible for conducting site visits to potential vendors, contractors, concrete processing plants and projects to monitor the flow and use of dual use materials as required by the GRM and report these visits.
Under the direct supervision of the ASU Coordinator and the overall guidance and supervision of the UNOPS Head of Programme and UNSCO as Project Executive, the ASY Deputy Coordinator (Goods) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the ASU (Goods) and is expected to meet and exceed the indicated ASU performance and delivery goals.