In the meeting, the EU Commissioner also revealed that the bloc will mobilize at least 2.5 billion euros in European investments to the Kingdom in the next 7 years from the various available tools to the European side, including mixed concessional financing from grants, soft loans, loan guarantees, private sector participation and assistance Jordan in supporting the implementation of major strategic projects.
Minister Shraideh indicated that the meeting provided an opportunity to brief the European official and the accompanying delegation on the economic performance and the overall economic and social challenges in Jordan, especially with regard to economic growth trends and high unemployment rates, especially among young people.
He indicated that these challenges have intensified as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic on various productive sectors, especially the tourism filed.
The Commissioner was also briefed on the government’s 2021-2023 economic work priorities program, which came to focus on recovery and economic growth by stimulating the private sector to create more jobs for Jordanians, especially for youth and women, and to support most hit-hard sectors by the pandemic, in addition to improving the coverage of national social protection programs, Shraideh noted.
He pointed out that priorities of the government’s work program also include an important component related to major projects and public-private partnerships, which are intended to stimulate investment and growth in priority sectors such as transportation, water infrastructure, renewable energy, and schools.
Among priorities that Shuraida presented to the European official was the Aqaba-Amman desalination and water transfer project (the national carrier) and the National Employment Programme, where the European side was asked to provide support for these priorities through grants and concessional financing.
The planning minister reaffirmed that Jordan is proceeding with the implementation of various reforms, referring to the matrix of national economic reforms, as well as the positive results of the International Monetary Fund’s third review, which proceeds in parallel with the rest of reforms that the government is working to implement and contribute to development and modernization process that Jordan continues to pursue.
Source: Jordan News Agency