Jordan Times
Thursday, May 6, 2004
European Commission earmarks 110m euros for Jordan in 2005-2006
The assistance will fund institutional and
economic reform, education, human rights and democratisation, as well as the
fight against poverty
AMMAN (JT) — The European Commission has approved a 110 million euros assistance
for Jordan during 2005-2006, a statement said on Wednesday.
The funds are part of a massive aid package — over 1.243 billion euros — for
cooperation and external aid operations with the European Union's Mediterranean
partners during the same period. They will help advance the implementation of
association agreements with partner countries and finance projects in the
sectors of institutional and economic reform, education and training, human
rights and democratisation, as well as the fight against poverty.
According to the statement, External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said
the decision “illustrates the extent of our political commitment to the
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: We put our money where our mouth is.” “We are
determined to continue developing the Barcelona Process to foster democratic
stability, security and sustainable development throughout the Euro-Med region,
against a background of increasing interdependency between the EU and its
southern neighbours,” Patten added.
The head of the European Commission Delegation to Jordan, Ambassador Robert van
der Meulen, said the fresh funding will be spent according to the National
Indicative Programme for 2005-2006, which envisages a 55 million euros
assistance for 2005 and an equal amount for 2006.
In 2005, 50 million euros will promote the EU-Jordan Association Agreement and
support the New Neighbourhood Policy through sector reforms. Two million euros
will contribute to the Kingdom's own efforts to develop a knowledge-based
society, and 3 million euros will go to technical assistance to advance
democracy and human rights, van der Meulen said.
As for 2006, 5 million euros are expected to support the Neighbourhood Policy
through the Association Agreement, which entered into force in May 2002; 42
million euros to enhance the social sector; 6 million euros to develop a
knowledge-based society through research and innovation; and 2 million euros to
consolidate democracy and human rights, van der Meulen explained.
“This assistance comes in support of Jordan's own reform plan,” the ambassador
stressed. The package, funded under the MEDA programme, illustrates the EU's
commitment to build a zone of peace and prosperity across the Mediterranean, van
der Meulen affirmed.
Under the 1.243 billion euros package for cooperation and external aid
operations with the Mediterranean partners during 2005-2006, Algeria will
receive 106 million euros, Egypt 243 million euros, Lebanon 70 million euros,
Morocco 275 million euros, Syria 80 million euros and Tunisia 144 million euros.
Projects concerning the region as a whole will receive 215 million euros.
The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, or Barcelona process, provides a wide
framework of political, economic and social relations between the 25-member
states of the European Union and 10 partners of the southern Mediterranean.
The MEDA programme is the main financial instrument for the Euro-Mediterranean
Partnership. From 1995 to 2003, MEDA committed over 5.4 billion euros in
bilateral and regional co-operation programmes.
In order to improve relations between donors and improve the effectiveness of
cooperation in the Middle East and North Africa, the European Commission, the
European Investment Bank and the World Bank — all major donors to members of the
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership — signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding
for a more focused and complementary approach at all levels, from programme
implementation to aid programming and overall policies.