Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The US basic aid to Jordan in 2017 totals $1.3 billion under the budget endorsed by the Congress in early May, a statement said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation said in the statement that the aid comes "in appreciation of the pivotal role of His Majesty King Abdullah", the burden the Kingdom bears, as well as its exemplary reform and developmental model.

During recent meetings with US official delegations, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury said that the next US aid programme was expected to respond to national priorities through the renewal of a memorandum of understanding that governs the assistantce in the next five years.

He added that the aid programme should focus on supporting the budget and certain competitive sectors in a manner that guarantees stimulating the national economy according to the Economic Stimulation Plan of 2018-2022.

Fakhoury commended the strategic Jordanian-US relations and their positive impact on efforts aimed at achieving comprehensive development in the Kingdom through US aid programmes over the past years.