.US. to boost aid to Jordan in 2008 by 48 percent

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.US. to boost aid to Jordan in 2008 by 48 percent

By Suleiman al-Khalidi
AMMAN, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Washington will raise substantially its aid to Jordan, a staunch Middle East ally, in 2008 to support the kingdom's economic and political stability, U.S. diplomats and officials said on Monday.
They said the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act passed by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush recently provides total grants of $663.5 million -- $363.5 million in economic support and $300 million in foreign military financing.
"The economic assistance for fiscal year 2008 represents a 48 percent increase over fiscal year 2007 appropriation," the the United States Agency for International Development USAID Jordan Mission Director Jay Knott told Reuters.
The extra aid this year will help Jordan to repay some of its $2.5 billion of debt under last October's buyback agreement with the Paris Club of official creditors, of which the United States is among the countries eligible for early payment.
Funds have also been extended to support the country's balance of payments to help ease Jordan's $7.3 billion foreign debt burden.
Despite budget cuts in USAID programmes elsewhere, U.S. economic assistance to Jordan has increased dramatically over the past decade, U.S. officials say.
Jordan had been lobbying to raise the amount of supplemental aid it received in recent years for its strong backing of U.S. policies in the region.
The kingdom is among a handful of countries in the Middle East and Asia that have been awarded extra aid in recent years for its efforts in counter-terrorism.
Diplomats say higher aid has been prompted by the need to support the stability of the monarchy, democratic reforms and the country's moderate role in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Much of American aid in recent years has gone towards helping the country speed up its social and political reforms and bolster a free market economy.
The vast array of aid projects in Jordan helped by U.S. funds includes tourism and infrastructure schemes, managing water supplies, funding clinics in Palestinian camps and establishing programmes to rehabilitate Iraqi refugees.
"Jordan is among our strongest partners and closest friends. This increased level of assistance shows the bipartisan support in America for the difficult choices Jordan has made in its homegrown reform efforts," U.S. ambassador David Hale said.
Jordan received total assistance of $532 million in the fiscal year which ended on September 30, 2007 with most of the supplemental aid earmarked to boost security and economic reforms, officials said.
After the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, Washington doubled its annual grants to Jordan to around $450 million - $250 million in economic aid and $200 million in military assistance.
(Writing by Suleiman al-Khalidi, editing by Stephen Nisbet)
((Reuters Messaging; suleiman.al-khalidi.reuters.com@reuters.net; Amman Newsroom +9626 4623776))
Keywords: JORDAN USA/AID