The European Union announced that the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project (National Water Carrier) is receiving up to 1.6 billion euros in support from the EU, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and EU member states.
اضافة اعلان
In its statement summarizing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the EU and Jordan, the EU explained that support for the project falls under initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience of the Jordanian economy and accelerating the green transition, alongside supporting economic growth and job creation.
The National Water Carrier project consists of a water desalination plant in Aqaba with an annual capacity of 300 million cubic meters, a 438-kilometer water conveyance system to pump desalinated water from Aqaba to Amman and other governorates, and a renewable energy system powered by a 281-megawatt solar plant.
The EU supports the future of the Jordanian economy through this desalination and conveyance project, the establishment of a new digital hub, and the empowerment of entrepreneurs, startups, and small enterprises, with a special focus on women and youth.
The EU noted that the partnership priorities with Jordan include political relations and regional cooperation, economic resilience and trade, human capital, migration and asylum, as well as security and defense.
The financial package provided to Jordan for the 2025–2027 period amounts to around 3 billion euros, including 640 million euros in grants, approximately 1.4 billion euros in investments, and 1 billion euros in soft loans.
Under economic initiatives, the EU highlighted a 12-million-euro loan from the EBRD to establish the Aqaba Digital Hub and strengthen Jordan's position as a regional digital center.
Initiatives also include the (E4DE) program for sustainable economic development through entrepreneurship—a 12-million-euro Team Europe initiative funded by the EU and Germany—alongside support for small businesses and women-led enterprises, and European guarantees for green small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The EU stated that since 2019, it has invested more than 202 million euros in education and vocational training to enhance human capital in Jordan through inclusive education, vocational training, democratic participation, and social protection for the most vulnerable groups.
Initiatives in this area include 30 million euros for human capital development covering education, vocational training, social protection, the labor market, and democratic participation, and 20 million euros for the (ST4LR) program to improve education quality in high-need schools.
They also include 26 million euros to digitalize social services and establish care services for persons with disabilities, 10 million euros for the (STEP) scholarship program to support inclusive vocational training and ease transition into the labor market, and 6.4 million euros to promote active youth participation in democratic life.
Regarding refugee support, the EU indicated that 240 million euros have been allocated over three years to support and protect Syrian refugees, in addition to 80 million euros to protect and support refugees through cash assistance, social services, skills development, and sustainable solutions.
Support also covers a solid waste management project in the Zaatari camp worth 24.8 million euros, and the (EDU-SYRIA) program, which has provided more than 37.6 million euros in scholarships to refugees and vulnerable Jordanian youth since 2015, with an additional 9 million euros currently under implementation.
In security and border management, support includes 25 million euros to strengthen integrated border management and combat cross-border crime and cyber threats, and 10 million euros under the (SECFRON III) program to boost Jordan's capabilities on its northern and eastern borders.
