Ammon News - During his two-day visit to Jordan, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, reaffirmed the strong and cordial EU-Jordan Partnership and discussed EU assistance and investment priorities in line with the new EU Agenda for the Mediterranean and its Economic and Investment Plan, euneighbours reported.

Commissioner Várhelyi announced that the EU will provide the country with substantial support under the new long-term EU budget. Over the next seven years, the EU assistance to Jordan from the bilateral and regional envelopes, together with other instruments such as blending and guarantee coverage will aim to mobilise at least €2.5 billion in private and public investments. In this conext, a significant additional amount of funding will be made available to help Jordan bear the burden of hosting Syrian refugees, with the EU so far providing €2.1 billion in support for Jordan since the start of the Syrian crisis, according to euneighbours.

The European Union and Jordan will also set up a new Investment Platform to mobilise investments for the country’s economic and social development, bringing together the Jordanian Government, European Financial Institutions, the EU institutions, EU Member States and other stakeholders.

Commissioner OliviérVárhelyi said: “Jordan is a key partner for the EU and we will provide substantial support to the country in the coming years. My specific objective for this visit was to discuss how to take this forward with the new Agenda for the Mediterranean and its Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern Neighbourhood."