Jordan, Germany and EU sign 4 development grant agreements worth 86m euros

AMMAN — The Planning and International Cooperation Ministry on Thursday hosted the signing ceremony of four development grant agreements offered by the German government and the EU through the German Development Bank (KfW) to support the water and sanitation and educational sectors with a total value of some 86 million euros.

The agreements aim to support priority development projects in the educational and water sectors that have direct impact on improving the level of services, which will contribute to realising strategic targets at the sectoral level, in a way that accords with the executive programme of the government for 2021-2024.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Shraideh and Water Minister Mohammad Najjar signed the grant agreements to support the water and sanitation sector with Mark Schwiete, KfW country director Jordan, according to a Planning Ministry statement.

First, a 20-million-euro grant agreement offered by the German government through KfW was signed to contribute to financing a project in its 10th phase implemented by the Water Ministry with the aim of improving water supplies and sanitation services in the northern region of the Kingdom.

The second agreement, provided by the EU through KfW, with a total value of 25 million euros, aims at financing the sixth phase of a programme to administrate water resources to improve sanitation services in southern Amman areas and connect some 80,000 houses to the network. The agreement entails building a dumpster and using treated wastewater for irrigation and agricultural purposes.  

The third agreement, offered by the German government through KfW with a total value of 29.4 million euros, will contribute to financing the ninth phase of a project to improve water supplies and sanitation services for local communities and Syrian refugees in the northern region of the Kingdom.

Shraideh also signed a grant agreement offered by the German government through KfW with a value of 12 million euros to contribute to financing the project administration unit at the Education Ministry with the aim of supporting the reform process and enhancing the ministry’s capabilities, which will be implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services.  

Shraideh praised the strategic partnership with the German government and the EU in a way that serves joint interests, and expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation for the two sides’ assistance that has contributed to implementing several priority schemes, in addition to the aid they offered to meet the needs of local communities hosting Syrian refugees.