Economic development 'at the heart of the EU support to Jordan'

EU Ambassador to Jordan Joanna Wronecka on Wednesday said that local economic development has been and will remain at the heart of the EU's support to Jordan, as it enjoys many opportunities in the service industry, especially in the field of information technology and medical tourism.
Wronecka made the remarks during a press conference in Amman today, held as part of the European Union's Development Days being organized by the EU for the second year in a row to shed light on the development cooperation with Jordan under the slogan "EU and Jordan: Good and United Neighboring to achieve common prosperity" as well as to offer more opportunities to exchange experiences and listen to opinions and viewpoints in that context.
"We have organized the European Development Days this year to see how the EU and Jordan can work together to raise the level of prosperity of their citizens, unite all of our partners' efforts in this project, exchange experiences and study joint ventures' impact," Wronecka said.
She pointed to a recently conducted European opinion poll which showed that 85 percent of Europeans believe that helping people in developing countries is a top priority, despite the difficult economic conditions in Europe.
The European Ambassador revealed that on Thursday, the European mission to Jordan will visit the "Busaira Municipality and Fjaij area, in the southern Governorate of Tafila, to meet our partners and exchange views and the results of projects funded by the European Union." The envoy also pointed out that the mission carries out a number of projects in Tafila, especially in the field of tourism services, and is involved in improving the volume of local agricultural products exported by farmers.
She added that the EU and Jordan are witnessing an increasing need for secure energy sources, which is another important reason to look at sustainable energy sources. The EU believes that the main strategy to resolve the energy crisis in Jordan in the short and medium term is through promotion of green energy at different levels.
Wronecka pointed to more than a thousand grants given directly through the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), confirming the EU's support of micro, small and medium enterprises, which are the lifeblood of the Jordanian economy and are at the forefront of the national strategy for employment.
She confirmed that her mission will continue to strengthen dialogue with civil society organizations in order to exchange information, not only through implementation of cooperation programs but also to monitor the political reforms. She expressed gratitude towards Jordan's civil society organizations which contributed to the improvement of the humanitarian, social and political rights of the people in Jordan.
Wronecka said that the EU appreciated the Kingdom's hosting of Syrian refugees, as it is located in an important geopolitical region, and referred to the EU's contribution in this regard, which amounted to 3 billion euros so far. This amount went directly to the Syrians and to the neighboring countries, in addition to the fact that some European countries also hosted refugees as a matter of solidarity and to alleviate their suffering.
Source: Petra