Jordan Times
Thursday, February 5, 2004
US allocates $456 million in aid to Jordan next year
By Issam Qadamani
AMMAN — The US administration allocated $456 million in military and economic assistance to the Kingdom in its budget for 2005, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Bassem Awadallah told Al Rai and The Jordan Times.He said that out of the total US assistance, $250 million will go to support economic projects, while the remaining $206 will be offered as military aid.
The minister said that his talks in the United States covered US annual aid to help Jordan implement schemes under the three-year-old Socio-Economic Transformation Programme.
He said that the American side showed “understanding” of the needs of Jordan's economy and commended the progress achieved by the Kingdom in its economic reforms. He added that the talks he held with the World Bank covered the same issues, stressing that they were “fruitful.”
In Ireland, Awadallah discussed with senior officials ways to enhance trade exchange with the European Union, which he described as an “important trade partner.”