Foreign Aid Reaches $3.4 Billion in Jan-Nov of 2023

The value of foreign aid committed to Jordan in grants and soft loans from January to November 2023 reached approximately $3.438 billion, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation reported. This aid encompasses various forms of support, including regular grants, soft loans, and additional grants dedicated to bolstering the Jordanian response plan to the Syrian crisis, according to the Ministry's report published on its website. Regular grants, amounting to about $1.346 billion, were allocated for diverse development projects spanning sectors such as water and sanitation, economic development, education, health, public sector modernization, justice, good governance, human rights, employment, vocational training, livelihoods, gender, agriculture, food security, environment, capacity building, youth, sports, entrepreneurship, and partnership with the private sector. Soft loans, totaling approximately $1.584 billion, were directed towards development projects in sectors including water, sanitatio n, education, economic development, energy, and sectoral support through the budget. These projects are implemented through the Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries and institutions. In addition to regular and soft loans, foreign aid included additional grants designed to support the response plan to the Syrian crisis, amounting to $506.8 million. This allocation is distributed across various components of the plan, with $132.4 million designated for supporting service projects in host communities, $31.4 million for the general budget, and approximately $343 million for supporting Syrian refugees. This funding represents about 23 percent of the total amount required to support the response plan in 2023, which stands at $2.2 billion. The economic sectors benefiting from foreign aid varied, with the general budget support sector receiving 39 percent, water and sanitation 25 percent, energy 11 percent, education 8 percent, health 6 percent, economic development 3 percent, and the tourism sector 3 percent. The remaining 5 percent was distributed among other sectors. The aid, committed through signed agreements with donors and international financing institutions, is being transferred to the budget and priority projects, overseen by relevant sectoral ministries based on work progress and cash flow plans. The reported figures highlight the substantial international support aimed at enhancing Jordan's development across various critical sectors. Source: Jordan News Agency