$153m project under way to expand US embassy premises

AMMAN — As US-Jordanian strategic cooperation is on the rise, the size of the US embassy in Amman will increase to become similar to that of America’s embassy in Berlin by the end of 2018, US officials said Wednesday.

A $153 million project is currently under way to expand the embassy headquarters, and when the scheme is completed by the end of 2018, the size of the premises will reach 15,000 square metres, according to US officials.

“This project is an indication of US commitment to strengthen its partnership with Jordan,” Henry Wooster, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy, said at a meeting with reporters.

Wooster added that the current size of the embassy is not adequate compared with the size of partnership and collaboration with Jordan.

The expansion project has created several jobs for Jordanians, he said, adding that out of 160 workers on site, around 140 are Jordanians, and their number will increase to 300 during the implementation period.

The expansion will house the USAID and the consular offices, Aziz Younes, Overseas Building Operations project director, told reporters.

The number of seats at the waiting area at the consular section will increase from around 100 to 183 as there has been a steady rise in the number of visa applicants, according to Younes.

The architecture of the new project combines Jordanian and American aspects, he said, noting that the building will be designed to ensure the optimal use of energy and lighting.

The diplomats said US assistance to Jordan is growing, which necessitates expanding the premises for staff.

USAID’s programme in Jordan is the second largest in the world. It devoted $629 million in assistance to the Kingdom in 2015 alone, according to figures released by the US embassy.

This is part of a 60-year partnership that has put roughly $9 billion towards Jordan’s development goals since 1952, the embassy said.