Jordan Times
Thursday, October 23, 2008
US agency to assist in
development of environment, water sectors
By Hana Namrouqa
AMMAN - The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) will assist the Kingdom in
developing the environment and water sectors, under a statement of intent on
environmental governance Jordan and the United States signed this week.
The agreement aims at promoting the development of strong environmental laws and
policies, and their enforcement for purposes of fostering sustainable
development and capacity building in the Kingdom’s management of water and other
natural resources.
Minister of Environment Khalid Irani and EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson
signed the statement of intent on Tuesday.
"The agreement will help take the environmental laws enforcement level another
step forward to support rangers and capacity building,” Irani said during the
signing ceremony.
Underscoring the role of the agreement in developing the country’s environmental
conditions, Johnson said the statement signifies future commitment and
partnership to address environmental challenges in Jordan, in the US and
globally.
“As the agreement lays out, our initial focus is on governance and... on
compliance and enforcement; a strong compliance and enforcement programme is the
cornerstone to environment protection,” Johnson told The Jordan Times on
Tuesday.
The EPA administrator said the first Jordanian team gathering staff from the
ministry and environmental rangers is in the United States taking their first
course in governance.
“Besides the courses on governance, there will be an expert coming from the EPA
to help us in the Ruseifa area for the rehabilitation of the phosphate mines
there…” Irani told The Jordan Times.
Johnson said they also discussed the water sector, noting that water quality and
quantity is “a challenge here and it is a challenge in the United States and
other parts of the world”.
He added that “one of the most notable things” he saw in Jordan was the
partnership between non-governmental organisations, the government and
businesses, “all working together for the common good of the environment.
“I’m struck with your passion for the environment, and its passion that is
turned into commitment that is turned into action,” he noted.