Reuters reported, quoting several sources in the United States, that Jordan has received assurances from Washington that the largest part of the external aid of no less than $ 1.45 billion annually will not be affected by President Donald Trump’s decision to reduce aid.
The sources pointed out that the aid includes military support and direct support for the budget.
Most sources, including officials, diplomats, regional security officials, US officials, and contractors participating in projects based on American aid, have not revealed their names not to reveal; Because of her participation in sensitive diplomatic discussions.
Sources said that the payments were resumed in March, for the American CDM Smith company, which was cost the US Agency for International Development, to supervise the water desalination project and transport it between Aqaba and Oman (the national carrier).
A US State Department spokesman confirmed that Jordanian military aid was not touched, describing Jordan as a strong partner for the United States, and has a decisive role in regional security.
He said that a decision was now taken to continue to provide foreign military financing to all beneficiaries after Foreign Minister Marco Rubio completed his review of the foreign aid granted by the state and the US International Development Agency.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on “ongoing negotiations”. The White House said that the questions related to this case should be directed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Although several sources said that many annual aid of $ 430 million for development programs are still frozen, which affects education and health projects, Molly Hikki, a PhD student at Harvard University who is studying American aid and the political scene in Jordan, said that these areas are seen as a strategic point of view.
3 officials familiar with the situation said that the senior White House aides have gathered in the past few weeks to discuss the fate of the financing provided to Jordan, and concluded that the Kingdom’s stability is crucial to American national security.
An official said that there is an agreement in the meetings that the aid should be restructured and enhanced to support this goal directly.
