Ammon News - AMMONNEWS – U.S. and Jordanian officials signed grant documents totaling $359.3 million today Wednesday September 28, 2011. U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Stuart E. Jones, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Jaafar Hassan, and United States Agency for International Development Acting Mission Director Kevin A.

Rushing, D.V.M. signed the grants at a ceremony at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in Amman.

The grants will support economic and political development, enhance health and education services, improve management of water resources, and address issues relating to poverty. These funds highlight the strong and lasting commitment of the American people to support Jordan’s efforts to address its most pressing development challenges.

In remarks at the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Ambassador Jones underscored the long-standing commitment of the American people to the development of Jordan, “We have enjoyed a fruitful partnership for more than sixty years now. We support now more than ever the efforts of the Government of Jordan to implement a bold development agenda to improve the lives of all Jordanians – especially the poor, young, and underprivileged.”

The grant agreements signed today include:
•$39.8 million to increase trade, investment, and job opportunities;
•$25 million to improve management of Jordan’s scarce available water and to increase water supplies;
•$22 million to support King Abdullah’s vision for political development;
•$49 million to support the country’s education reform initiative;
•$24.5 million to improve public and private health sector capacity;
•$15 million to enhance the life and employability skills of underprivileged youth and to alleviate poverty; and
•$184 million in the form of a cash transfer to assist the Government of Jordan to decrease its international debt and advance its reform initiatives.

The U.S. assistance program to Jordan is among the largest in the world. Total U.S. economic assistance to Jordan over sixty years of partnership totals $7.4 billion.