Shraideh, USAID official discuss development cooperation

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nassser Shraideh and USAID Acting Assistant Administrator for the Middle East Bureau Andrew Plitt on Sunday discussed means to enhance the US-Jordan partnership.

During the meeting, attended by USAID Mission Director Sherry F. Carlin, the officials went over USAID projects in the Kingdom and means to enhance economic and development cooperation through projects in the sectors of infrastructure, energy, water, environment, education, health and economy, according to a ministry statement.

Shraideh praised the agency’s continuous support to the Kingdom’s development process and in facing economic challenges, including the assistance extended to refugee-host communities.

The minister also voiced the government's appreciation to the US people and government. The US is intended to sign a new memorandum of understanding with Jordan to provide annual assistance to the Kingdom between 2023 and 2029.

The new MoU was recently announced during a meeting between His Majesty King Abdullah and US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Jeddah Security and Development Summit. 

Shraideh acquainted Plitt with the Economic Modernisation Vision, a 10-year roadmap to enable Jordan to benefit from the national economy’s existing potential and utilise its competitive advantages.

The minister also reviewed ongoing preparations to scale up an executive plan for the vision, which will extend for three years, highlighting the importance of harnessing support and finances, whether through capital expenditure from the general budget or through foreign aid.

He also highlighted the main economic indicators and economic and social challenges in Jordan resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing the need to support the Kingdom to enable it deal with these ramifications to move towards economic recovery. 

Shraideh spoke about the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and its impacts on energy prices, which have witnessed hikes at the international level.

He also expressed appreciation of USAID’s effective contribution to providing the necessary financial support for the National Water Carrier Project, considered a top priority for the Kingdom's water security.

Meanwhile, senior USAID officials stressed the importance of the "effective" partnership between Jordan and the US, and Washington's intention to sign a new memo that focuses on the Kingdom’s water security needs and supports His Majesty's agenda on the economic reforms.

Plitt said that USAID and the US government enjoy "solid" relations with Jordan that have extended for years, during which they have realised “important achievements to develop a stable and prosperous future for the Jordanian people”.