Jordan

AFD has been working in Jordan since 2006, primarily on issues related to climate change adaptation and social cohesion, through solidarity-based and sustainable investments. As key partners in the water sector, AFD and Proparco also support major infrastructure projects to preserve and promote access to water, addressing water stress in particular.

Context

Jordan is a semi-desert Middle Eastern country surrounded by Saudi Arabia, the West Bank, Iraq, Israel and Syria. It has a 26 km-long coastline along the Gulf of Aqaba. Its population, which has doubled over the past 20 years, exceeds 10 million. Despite the major crises affecting the region, Jordan has managed to remain politically stable and continue its economic development while welcoming a mass influx of refugees on its soil.

Benefiting from strong international support, the Jordanian authorities have made access to employment for young people and women their priorities in order to preserve the country’s economic and social balance. They must also respond to the challenges of preserving and providing access to water, and climate change adaptation.

In seventeen years of operations in Jordan, AFD has established itself as a major partner. In the period 2023-2026, AFD Group focuses its actions and activities on four pillars:

Social cohesion: in accordance with Jordan’s economic modernization strategy entitled “For a better future”, we support the creation of decent jobs, the national strategy for women and gender equality policy, and support the most vulnerable communities (namely host communities and refugees)
Support for the modernization of public services and institutions ensuring social cohesion and the rule of law in connection with the modernization program launched by the Jordanian authorities
The long-term resilience of the country’s development model, combining water, energy and food security issues, natural disaster risk prevention, in a context of vulnerability to climate change
Support for crisis management, border security and support for regional cooperation

To this end, AFD Group operates in Jordan mainly through subsidized sovereign loans for infrastructure projects or by supporting sectoral public policies, and mobilizes technical assistance, mainly through the action of Expertise France, committing €555 million between 2019 and 2022.

AFD's Jordan office is directly attached to the Middle East regional office in Beirut.

Our approach

"AFD and Jordan: Optimizing the use of natural resources and strengthening social cohesion"

As one of the Middle Eastern countries with the scarcest water resources, Jordan has significant investment needs, both to improve distribution and to increase water reuse.

AFD supports the country’s water strategy through public policy loans and technical assistance to public operators. Since 2006, AFD has been supporting the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the Water Authority of Jordan through technical and financial assistance. We help finance large-scale infrastructure projects which increase production and transfer drinking water to communities. The projects also treat wastewater, with priority given to the northern parts of the country hosting the largest number of refugees (with drinking water supplied to Wadi al-Arab and Irbid, and wastewater treated and reused in Balqa and Ramtha).

As a result, 80% of the population enjoys improved access to water and a more regular supply thanks to AFD-funded projects.

Alongside the European Union, AFD is supporting civil and commercial justice reform. In addition, it supports the national strategy for equality between women and men through a public policy loan dedicated to gender budgeting.

As part of the Minka Middle East initiative, AFD supports the strengthening of institutions dedicated to civil protection in areas hosting large numbers of refugees. It also supports training initiatives in Jordan, particularly for vulnerable Syrian and Jordanian youth, led by Jordanian organizations in hotel management and manufacturing sectors.

In addition, in support of decentralization, AFD is supporting the transformation of the Cities and Villages Development Bank (CVDB) into the municipal development bank.

AFD supports the decentralization of the country and the good governance of municipalities. It supported the development of public transport in Amman, backing the first in-site dedicated bus network (BRT).

We have also managed a solid waste management program in the northern governorates with EU-delegated funds.

AFD is working to improve the income regularity of rural Jordanians and Syrian refugees, who depend on the seasonal nature of agricultural activities, through the diversification of production, the adoption of better farming practices and the rehabilitation of processing units to facilitate access to the market. Through its support to civil society partners, AFD thus contributes to access to decent employment in agriculture.