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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Annual Jordanian-German talks on development cooperation for 2017 concluded Tuesday with the European nation pledging a total of 275.17 million euros in new aid to fund development projects in Jordan and to support the Syrian refugees.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury and Ambassador of Germany in Amman Birgitta Maria Siefker-Eberle signed the agreement in the presence of a German delegation led by Christine Toetzke, Director of the Middle East Unit at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Germany. The delegation included representatives of the German Development Agency (GIZ) and the German Reconstruction Bank (KfW).

Fakhoury said that the new agreed-on financial aid include grants, technical support, soft loans to fund priority development projects and grants to support the Syrian refugees.

With this agreement, the total committed aid from Germany rises to 577 million euros, which makes Germany the second largest donor country for Jordan in 2017.

The new aid package includes 153 million euros, of which 60 million as a soft loan to improve energy efficiency in water sector, 71 million euros as grants to support water, sewage, environment, solid waste management, education and 22 million euros as technical support.

The assistance also includes 12.17 million euros in grant from the German Ministry of Environment to fund four environmental projects.

The additional aid also includes 110 million euros to support the Syrian refugees and the host communities' projects through the UN and non-governmental organizations in accordance with the Jordan Response Plan (JRP).

Fakhoury and Environment Minister Yaseen Khayyat with the Director of GIZ's Office in Jordan Michaela Baur signed the agreement of "Improvement of Green Infrastructure in Jordan through Labour Intensive Measures".

Fakhoury commended the strategic partnership with Germany, appreciating its support, which contributed to implementing priority projects and helping the refugees and host communities.

During the talks, the Planning Minister briefed the German delegation on national development plans including the Executive Development Plan and the JRP.

He stressed Jordan's commitment to its "ambitious" reform programmes in accordance with the Jordan Document 2025 and the Executive Development Programme for 2016-2016, which is being updated for the years 2018-2020.

The minister briefed the delegation on the impacts of the Syrian refugee crisis, noting that the JRP is now being updated to cover 2018-2020, which needs to be adequately financed in accordance with the Jordan Compact issued during 2016's London conference on the Syrian crisis.

Labour Minister Ali Ghezawi, Education Minister Omar Razzaz, and secretary generals of the water and education ministries took part in the talks.

Razzaz outlined his ministry's measures to develop education, including the national strategy to improve the education sector.

He highlighted the role of the German support in implementing reforms, educational plans, and future strategies, in addition to mitigating the impacts of hosting the Syrian refugee's on Jordanian schools.

Ambassador Eberle underscored the "deep rooted" Jordanian-German relations, pledging that her country will continue to support the Kingdom, especially in the priority sectors to overcome the repercussions of the Syrian crisis.

Christine Toetzke, Director of the Middle East Unit at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Germany, said Germany will remain a reliable and strategic partner for Jordan, stressing her country's commitment through the Jordan Compact and transforming the temporary stay of the refugees into economic opportunities for the Kingdom. Noteworthy, Germany allocated 478 million euros during 2016 and honoured its commitments made at the conferences of London and Brussels.