Jordan Times
Friday, November 10, 2006
Al-Ali announces
Jordan’s eligibility for MCC Compact Assistance
Kazakhstan (Agencies) — Planning and International Cooperation Minister Suhair
Al-Ali announced Thursday that the Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC) board
of directors has approved Jordan’s eligibility to receive Compact Assistance.
The minister attributed this qualification to the intensive efforts made by His
Majesty King Abdullah and the government over the past year and said that it
also reflects the US administration’s appreciation of the progress Jordan has
made in forging ahead with political, economic and social reforms. She also
noted that Jordan is the first lower middle income country in the world to
qualify for MCC Compact Status. She stated that the government has been in close
negotiations with US counterparts in order to receive this assistance from MCC.
This qualification will make available additional financial resources to support
the government’s efforts to implement major development projects that aim at
stimulating economic growth and combating poverty. The MCC represents a new
funding initiative that was launched by the US administration in 2004 in order
to support developing countries in increasing the standards of living of their
people. Qualifying for compact assistance is based on the progress a country
makes in areas of political, economic and social liberties, in addition to the
progress the country makes in implementing various reform programmes.