France loans Jordan €150 mln

Jordan's government announced Wednesday that France will provide a 150 million euros soft loan to Jordan in support of the energy sector with the first amount to be paid soon, following discussions between King Abdullah II of Jordan and French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday. The government and the French Development Agency hammered out an agreement over the loan, which supports Jordan’s efforts to narrow the budget deficit and enhance the efficiency of the energy sector. In addition, the two countries’ ministries of interior signed an agreement to enhance security cooperation, while another agreement was reached on visa exemptions for diplomatic passport holders in both countries, the statement indicated. France is considered to be among European countries with numerous investments in Jordan pertaining to the communications, water, and infrastructure fields.