Japan grants Jordan $17.5 million for non-military, cultural purposes

AMMAN — Jordan and Japan on Wednesday signed three grant agreements, valued at $17.5 million (around JD12.4 million).

The agreements, signed by Planning Minister Imad Fakhoury and Japanese Ambassador Shuichi Sakurai, are under the framework of Japan’s official development assistance for non-project grant aid (NPGA) and cultural aid scheme.

The first two agreements are NPGA, worth $8.4 million each, and are extended for the provision of medical equipment and other products for non-military purposes, according to the signatories.

Medical equipment will be provided for the Health Ministry and Prince Hamzah Hospital.

The third grant stands at $820,000 and falls under the Cultural Grant Aid for the Construction of the Petra Museum Project. 

According to Fakhoury, who thanked Japan for its assistance to the Kingdom, Tokyo is one of the key supporting partners of Jordan.

He noted at the signing ceremony that Japan’s continuous technical and financial support has contributed to Jordan’s efforts in achieving growth and sustainable development.

Fakhoury explained that Tokyo’s support has been extended to vital sectors such as education, health and vocational training.

“We hope in the near future to sign the soft loan agreement,” the minister said, referring to a $100 million soft loan that Jordan requested from Japan for the current year to support the state budget.

In 2014 the government of Japan extended approximately $180 million in bilateral support to the Kingdom, and about $19 million to UN and international organisations in Jordan for projects that seek to reduce the impact of the Syrian crisis, according to the Japanese embassy.

“I wish that these new grant projects would bring further development and promotion of public medical services to the people of Jordan,” Sakurai said.

“I also wish [they] would contribute to the further enhancement of the excellent bilateral relations that already exist between Jordan and Japan,” the ambassador added after signing the agreements.