Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Nasser Shraideh, on Wednesday met a group of German government officials and parliamentarians concerned with development cooperation with Jordan, on the sidelines of the annual Jordanian-German government talks on development cooperation 2021.
The discussions brought together State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Dr. Maria Flachsbarth and Director General of Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy’s External Economic Policy, Dr. Eckhard Franz, according to a ministry statement.
Shraideh expressed Jordan’s appreciation to Germany for supporting the government priorities in the areas of water, education, employment, training, technical and vocational education and energy, including support for Jordan Response Plan for the Syria Crisis.
Shraideh also lauded the efforts made by the development arms of the German government to implement a set of development projects and programs in Jordan within the framework of German-Jordanian development cooperation.
The ministry said “German officials were briefed on Jordan’s economic performance and the overall economic and social challenges in Jordan, especially with regard to the low growth and the high unemployment rates, which represent the biggest challenge to economic recovery efforts that hit a high percentage among young people”.
The German side was also briefed on Covid-19 effects and repercussions on the productive sectors, in addition to the challenges arising from the continued Syrian refugee crisis on the economic sectors, the statement added.
During the talks, Shriadeh stressed the importance of the policy of development loans to support Jordan’s budget as well as the implementation of sectoral reforms, especially in education and water sectors), which still play an effective role in implementing sectoral reforms and policies.
Urging the German side to continue providing soft financing to support the budget and priority sectors, the minister referred to the efforts that support gender integration and women participation in political and economic life, voicing Jordan’s pledge to do more in this regard.
Source: Jordan News Agency