Jordan signs $238mln in agreements with Germany for development projects

AMMAN — Jordan has signed agreements worth over 214 million euros with the German government and its affiliated financial institutions since the beginning of the year to fund vital projects in sectors such as water, sanitation, and education, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation said on Monday.

The government, on September 5, signed two agreements to support education. The first is a 25.5-million euro grant to cover the salaries of additional teachers and administrators in double-shift public schools serving large numbers of Syrian refugee students for the 2024/2025 school year.

The second agreement involves a 75 million euro Education Sector Development Policy Loan aimed at supporting the general budget, advancing education reforms, and improving school infrastructure, Al Mamlaka TV reported.

In March, Jordan secured a 50 million euro loan from the German Development Bank (KfW) for a sustainable sewage sludge disposal project under the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

In January, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) signed a 9.5 million euro grant agreement to fund the "Green Jobs in Enterprises" project, benefiting the Ministry of Environment, in addition to a 3.7 million euro agreement signed in May to support governance and reform initiatives.

In March, the GIZ also signed a 7.5 million euro agreement for the "Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Economic Development and Employment" project, which will benefit the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship.

The Ministry of Labour also signed several agreements with the GIZ, including a 9.5 million euro contract in April for the "Employment in Jordan 2030" project and a 250,000 euro agreement in March to support SMEs in job creation.

Another 10 million euro agreement was finalised in April to enhance vocational training programmes in Jordanian educational institutions, while a 5 million euro deal was signed in May to develop sustainable training and labour mobility models.

In the education sector, GIZ signed a 400,000 euro agreement with the Ministry of Education in March to support inclusive education. In May, a 10 million euro agreement was also signed with the Ministry of Local Administration and Greater Amman Municipality for a solid waste management project.