Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Jafar Hassan, underscored Saturday the good cooperation between his country and Kuwait, and the great role played by Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in supporting development in Jordan. Speaking to KUNA, he said that Jordan and Kuwait were tied by strong and deep-rooted brotherly bonds, further cemented by the leaders of the two countries, which in turn, pushed forth cooperation in different fields. He also said that KFAED's projects were instrumental in supporting his country's development efforts. Jordan is among the first countries to benefit from KFAED's soft loans and grants, where the Kuwaiti fund financed 23 projects of economic and social weight at a total cost of KD 138.439 (around $ 471.7 million) between 1962 and 2009, he said. Sectors that benefitted from these loans and grants include phosphate production, industry, energy, irrigation and agriculture, infrastructure, and social projects such as health and education services, he added. The minister also said that KFAED financed many projects of developmental projects of priority in Jordan, such as electricity grid expansion, and conducting feasibility studies for other projects. Hassan said that the Jordanian government was constantly coordinating with Kuwaiti officials to keep them up to date with any financial, economic or social challenges that were faced here. Kuwaiti investments in Jordan are the highest among Arab and foreign countries, coming close to $ 7.5 billion.
