The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation met with Ms. Gelsomina Vigliotti, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, and the accompanying delegation, and discussed opportunities and areas of cooperation to support development priorities that are in line with the Economic Modernization Vision.

During the meeting, they emphasized the importance of continuing to work with the Bank, which is considered the European Union Bank and its financing arm, and as one of Jordan's development partners in supporting the implementation of several priorities within the Economic Modernization Vision and its executive program for 2023-2025. in addition to discussing the capital projects and public-private partnership projects.

The Minister also praised the assistance provided by the Bank through investment and technical loans and grants. This assistance has contributed to finance projects in key sectors such as water, sanitation, energy, transportation, health care, industry, mining, education, private sector development, infrastructure, and providing financing to Jordanian banks to provide intermediary lending support to small and medium-sized companies, and the preparation of technical studies and the economic feasibility of projects in these sectors. The bank also provided funding to a range of important projects in the Kingdom, such as the Disi water conveyance project, Wadi al-Arab water conveyance to the northern governorates, support for water sources in the Jordan Valley, water supply and sanitation for regions of Deir Alla and AL Karama, and the purchase of vaccines within the framework of the pandemic response, in addition to the bank’s commitments for Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination & Conveyance Project - the national water carrier.

The Vice President of the European Investment Bank emphasized the bank’s understanding of the Kingdom’s development needs and the bank’s aspiration for further future cooperation and partnership with the Kingdom to support areas and sectors of common interest to both sides, such as digitization, energy, environment, and climate change, and in line with the priorities and projects included in the executive program of the Economic Modernization Vision for the years 2023-2025.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation signed an agreement to establish and manage the European Investment Bank’s representative office in Jordan, indicating that this will strengthen the cooperation relations between the two sides that have extended for years and were consolidated by signing a framework agreement in 1997, this will strengthen the bank’s presence in the Kingdom and develop the bank’s activities, tools and mission, to serve bilateral cooperation between the two sides by providing technical and financial support for investments in both private and public sectors. The Minister also emphasized the importance of this in supporting the priorities, programs, and projects included in the executive program for both the Economic Modernization Vision and the public sector modernization roadmap.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced the offering of a grant to strengthen the resilience of Jordan’s public health sector and support the purchase of (12) ambulances amounted to 990 thousand euros, which will strengthen the Ministry of Health’s ability to respond to emergencies. The ambulances are expected to be deployed in both Amman and the northern regions, including areas hosting Syrian refugees, to strengthen emergency medical services, ensure better access to healthcare, and improve response times for medical teams.

The Vice President of the European Investment Bank said, “The European Investment Bank is pleased to provide new support for the healthcare sector in Jordan and to support the purchase of (12) new ambulances from the Bank’s Economic Resilience Initiative Fund. The Vice President of EIB also added that the new specialized ambulances will help provide emergency medical care more quickly and transport patients safely.”

The European Investment Bank's portfolio in the Kingdom grew during the period (2014-2024) to reach approximately (1.8) billion euros, which was concentrated in the sectors of water, health, transportation, energy, urban and municipal development, and lending to companies and local commercial banks to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.