Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan plays a key political role in the Middle East. It is very
involved as a mediator, working to deescalate the numerous conflicts in the region. As the
custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem, Jordan fosters interfaith dialogue. In the midst of a
region torn by war and crisis, Jordan is undertaking tremendous efforts, even though it is itself
faced with a lack of resources. Over decades, the country has taken in millions of refugees,
especially from Syria and the Palestinian territories. Germany supports Jordan in providing
services for refugees and host communities. Germany also assists Jordan in implementing its
ambitious domestic reform agenda.

The Iran war is hitting Jordan at a time when it had been experiencing an economic upturn. The war is impacting significantly on the economy and the public budget, especially as a result of the slump in tourism and trade and the rising energy prices. As a result of the crises and wars in Jordan's immediate neighbourhood, which are becoming more and more frequent and intense, in combination with severe water scarcity, the country is reaching the limits of its capacity. This also jeopardises its support for the many refugees it is hosting.

Nearly half of Jordan's people are refugees or descendants of refugees – several million people from Syria, the Palestinian territories and Iraq. As its resources are limited, Jordan requires support from the international community to provide services for the refugees.

In the past few years, Jordan has adopted comprehensive reform objectives with the aim of making the political system more representative, modernising the economy and improving the performance and citizen responsiveness of government authorities. In particular, the government intends to promote the employment and economic empowerment of women and young people, as they are especially affected by the high rate of unemployment. The government is also planning to reform the political system so that it facilitates more participation by the people.

Jordan has adopted ambitious targets for climate change mitigation and adaptation. In particular, it wants to ensure that water, as a vital resource, can be supplied on a long-term basis.

On the current Human Development Index (HDI), Jordan ranks 100th out of the 193 countries listed.

German development cooperation with Jordan

Jordan and Germany have been engaged in development cooperation since 1959. Since that time, the country's population has grown from about 800,000 to over 11 million as a result of the influx of refugees and high birth rates. Jordanian-German development cooperation is geared towards fostering economic development and employment, creating opportunities for refugees and adapting the water and wastewater sector to the consequences of climate change.

Germany has been assisting Jordan in implementing its ambitious reform agenda in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Government negotiations on development cooperation are held every two years. At the most recent negotiations in May 2024, Germany committed a total of 618.75 million euros for development cooperation in 2024 and 2025.

Bilateral development cooperation focuses on the following core areas:

Peaceful and inclusive societies
Areas of intervention: displacement and migration, good governance
Sustainable economic development, training and employment
Areas of intervention: technical and vocational education and training, private sector and financial sector development
Conserving nature and natural resources, protecting life on Earth
Area of intervention: water

The next government negotiations with Jordan are planned for 2026.

Cash-for-work programme: construction and repair of roads and drainage systems in Jordan

Even though Jordan is facing enormous economic and social challenges domestically, it is undertaking tremendous efforts to host a large number of refugees from the region. The German Development Ministry (BMZ) assists refugees and host communities and supports the implementation of the ongoing administrative reform.

Trainees in a vocational training centre in Jordan

On the demand side, the BMZ seeks to strengthen the private sector so as to increase demand for labour. This involves activities for entrepreneurship development and industrial development, and for the improvement of the business environment. On the supply side, the BMZ supports non-academic vocational training programmes in line with the needs of Jordan's private sector. In both areas, the Ministry is putting a special focus on the development of “green” sectors and on promoting employment of women, young people and persons with disabilities.

Water meter being installed during the laying of new drinking water pipes in the town of Mafraq, Jordan

Extreme water scarcity is a major development constraint in Jordan. The volume of water available per capita is less than 100 cubic metres per year (whereas it is 1,500 cubic metres in Germany). Advancing climate change, high population growth and economic development are exacerbating the water crisis. The BMZ is assisting Jordan in extracting and using this scarce resource sustainably.