Achievements

Many achievements attest to USAID’s successful efforts in Jordan since its establishment in 1951. These could not have been possible without the support and commitment of our Jordanian partners. Some of these accomplishments over the past several years include:

Water:

• Completed the Wadi Mousa water and wastewater treatment plant, protecting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Petra and benefiting the 20,000 residents of nearby communities
• Designed and constructed water treatment plants for 10 contaminated wells and springs in Wadi Sir, Qairawan, Qantara, Deek, Kafrein and Salt City, benefiting 300,000 residents
• Initiated construction work for expansion of the wastewater treatment plant in Aqaba, ultimately benefiting 80,000 people
• Completed a pilot wastewater reuse implementation activity to develop effective and sustainable wastewater reuse sites at three pilot locations -- Aqaba, Wadi Mousa and Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid
• Initiated a water education program, including school and media programs, to promote water conservation and water saving devices and assist small communities with water conservation issues
• Assisted the establishment of the Aqaba Public Company, the first autonomous water utility in Jordan

Health

• Completed the upgrading of and training programs at 21 Comprehensive Post-Partum (CPP) centers throughout Jordan
• Initiated a health reform program aimed at improving the long-term sustainability of Jordan's health care system
• Assisted with the institutionalization of surveillance systems for chronic and acute diseases

Economic Opportunities

• Launched a policy-based cash transfer program providing $809 million since 1997
• Launched the microfinance Wholesale Lending Facility in cooperation with Citibank, an example of a successful development alliance with the private sector, to provide a sustainable source of capital for Jordan’s microfinance institutions
• Promoted structural reorganization of the Jordan Investment Board, helping mobilize $1.25 billion in foreign and domestic investment
• Initiated a major capital markets development activity leading to more fair, efficient, liquid, and transparent markets, and increasing the trading volume by 85 percent
• Supporting the World Bank Privatization program leading to the privatization of numerous companies since 1997, with cumulative privatization proceeds rising to $1.3 billion
• Providing technical assistance for the establishment of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ), emerging as a model for streamlined investment procedures and leading to over $650 million in annual investment into the Zone and the Qualified Industrial Zone-designated Aqaba International Industrial Estate
• Launched an eco-tourism program in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature for the development of the Azraq and Wadi Feynan nature reserves as well as establishment of a nature center in Amman to serve as the flagship environmental educational center and promote RSCN’s nature products

Education

• In cooperation with UNICEF, initiated work on integrating life and leadership skills in school curricula and extracurricular activities for youth
• Assisted, through AMIR and in association with the Ministry of Education, several e-learning activities, including the development of the Education Reform for the Knowledge Economy, an integrated strategy for the furthering of education in Jordan, and support for providing the content required for a broadband network connecting all of the Kingdom's schools

Governance and Civic Participation

• Funded several observational tours for Jordanian youth to promote leadership and civic participation
• Initiated a program focusing on civil society, including judicial training in conflict prevention, journalist training, civic education, and women's empowerment

Others

• Provided a $700 million cash transfer to help offset the effects of the war in Iraq in 2003
• Provided $7 million for the development of the Baptismal Site

A more comprehensive list of our achievements over the past five decades can be downloaded from the Key Documents section.