Jordan is ruled by a monarchy that is embarking upon a process of political reform in response to calls for change. King Abdullah has introduced a number of constitutional amendments that included the establishment of an Independent Electoral Commission and a Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, regional instability resulting from the Syria crisis has affected the economy.
DFID is providing support to help ensure that Jordan is able to pursue political reform based on an economy that enjoys inclusive and sustainable growth.
Arab Partnership Fund
In response to the Arab Spring the UK set up the Arab Partnership Programme, run jointly by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). The aim of the programme is to build politically and economically open and inclusive societies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The programme is made up of two components:
The £70 million Arab Partnership Economic Facility (APEF), run by DFID, focuses on ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic development.
APEF has five priority countries - Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Jordan - and carries out both country-level and regional projects. Our programmes aim to promote:
- Job creation through assisting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and enhancing young people's skills
- Economic growth through increased cross-border trade and improved productivity
- Effective institutions that are transparent and accountable for government spending
The £40 million Arab Partnership Participation Fund (APPF), run by FCO, focuses on political participation, freedom of expression and political governance.
To find out more about the Arab Partnership, download the Arab Partnership ePamphlet. You can also explore our projects using an interactive google map or follow us on twitter @ArabPartnership.
Country-level projects
In Jordan, APEF is supporting the following projects:
- Creation of 2000 jobs through business development assistance to 600 SMEs as well as technical support to 50 SMEs. Beneficiaries of the Shell Foundation/GroFin Jordan Enterprise Facility will be 25% women.
Regional programmes
Jordan will also benefit from multilateral regional programmes that we are contributing to as part of a coordinated donor response. These include:
- £6.8 million to the World Bank/International Finance Corporation to increase access to finance for Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to benefit more than 250,000 enterprises
- £1.9 million to the International Finance Corporation's Education for Employment Initiative, delivering tailored training that responds to business needs to get 114,000 young people prepared for work
- £5 million to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to promote private sector development and creation of over 4,000 jobs
- £5 million to the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund to accelerate sustainable growth, create jobs and promote economic and social inclusion
- £2.5 million to the Carnegie Middle East Centre to strengthen research capacity in the region
Conflict Pool
The Conflict Pool brings together DFID, the MOD and the FCO in an attempt to develop a coherent approach to conflict prevention across the globe.
The Conflict Pool supports activities that seek to reduce the number of people around the world whose lives are, or might be, affected by violent conflict. The Pool funds conflict prevention, stabilisation and peacekeeping activities. There is a dedicated Middle East regional pool.
More information is available at the FCO Conflict Pool page.