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Ammon News - Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Nasser Shraideh, and British Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East, Amanda Milling, signed a grant agreement worth £50.2 million, provided by the UK government to help support the Jordanian government’s efforts to expand the safety net within the framework of the implementation of Jordan National Social Protection Strategy.

According to a Ministry of Planning statement on Sunday, Enhancing Economic Resilience (EER) project will be implemented within five years and includes support for the "Estidama ++ (sustainability)" program to expand the base of social security coverage and stimulate transition to the formal economy, under Social Security Corporation (SCC), in partnership with the concerned authorities, such as the Ministry of Social Development and the National Aid Fund (NAF).

The project's technical support will also help develop and sustain the Ministry of Social Development's monitoring and assessment framework in the social protection field and meet the priority needs that serve to strengthen the resilience of the social protection sector, the statement added.

The grant, which was signed, in the presence of the British Ambassador to Jordan, Bridget Brind, and Milling's accompanying delegation, is part of an aid package announced by Milling for Jordan, worth £95 million, including £65 million for the social protection sector and £30 million for the education sector, the statement noted.

This aid also affirms continued support for Jordan in bearing Syrian refugee burdens, which would remain a priority for the British side, the statement said.

According to the statement, Shraideh discussed with Milling, ways to enhance Jordan-UK relations in various fields, the latest developments on the regional and international arenas, "remarkable" challenges related to impact on supply chains of basic commodities and their high prices, due to Covid-19 repercussions and consequences of the Ukrainian-Russian crisis.

Shraideh lauded UK's role and its continuous support to help Jordan overcome the challenges imposed by the region's instability on the Jordanian economy, support its development process, address Syrian refugee burdens and back Amman in such "exceptional" circumstances.

During the meeting, the British visiting delegation was briefed on the axes of the Kingdom's Economic Modernization Vision until 2033, government priorities within the framework of the Government's Indicative Executive Program 2021-2024, and Jordan's reforms being implemented within the Jordan Reform Matrix, in addition to discussing the ongoing repercussions of hosting Syrian refugees in the Kingdom.

For her part, Milling highlighted the newly launched UK international development strategy, which would contribute to facing increasing global challenges by offering investments, supporting women, and providing humanitarian aid to people in dire need and maintaining efforts on climate change, nature conservation and global health.

Milling also lauded Jordan's capability to deal with external challenges and shocks, commending its role, under His Majesty King Abdullah II's leadership, in the region and in advancing "important" reforms in priority sectors for inclusive and sustainable growth for all, providing job opportunities, especially for young people, and creating a youth-enabling environment to achieve their goals.

Since 2020, the UK government has provided grants worth 34mln pounds to support Jordan's social protection network and help the Kingdom overcome the Covid-19 pandemic's consequences by supporting National Aid Fund's programs, and also contributed to funding priority projects related to water sanitation, education, economic reforms and municipal services.