Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Japan on Friday offered aid worth up to some $970 million over the next five years to help stabilize Jordan and Lebanon, which have been accepting a huge number of refugees from war-torn Syria, the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said.

During a ministerial meeting on assistance to the Middle East and North Africa in Washington, Finance Minister Taro Aso said Tokyo is ready to provide the aid package, which includes a $50 million grant and a yen loan of up to ¥100 billion ($920 million).

Japan will provide the fund through the MENA Financing Initiative, which the World Bank established in October last year with the United Nations and the Islamic Development Bank, according to the ministry.

Aso took part in the ministerial talks on the sidelines of a two-day meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of 20 economies.

*JTN