Amman, Aug. 5 (Petra) — The signing of a strategic objectives
agreement for bilateral cooperation between Jordan and the United
States marks an important step in strengthening ties between the two
countries and reflects continued confidence in Jordan’s economy and
its ability to implement reform and development programs, economic
experts said.

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), the experts said the
agreement supports the implementation of the priorities of the
Economic Modernisation Vision by directing funding toward priority
development sectors. They noted that this would contribute to
supporting economic growth, attracting investment, improving public
spending efficiency, creating job opportunities, and enhancing
services.

The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation signed the
four-year bilateral cooperation agreement between the governments of
the two countries.

The agreement is the first of its kind with the current US
administration and comes in line with the United States’ new approach
to foreign assistance. Valued at $354.6 million, it will support the
Jordanian government’s efforts to implement several national
priorities outlined in the Economic Modernisation Vision. It also
reflects the depth of the strategic partnership between the two
countries and aims to strengthen their established economic
relations.

The agreement focuses on supporting national priorities by enhancing
long-term water security, strengthening economic resilience, and
promoting self-reliance through programs and projects in key sectors,
including water and wastewater, energy, education, tourism, and
expanding economic opportunities. These efforts are expected to
contribute to development efforts and improve the quality of services
provided to citizens.

University of Jordan economics professor Dr. Raad Al-Tal said the
agreement reinforces the strategic partnership between Jordan and the
United States and reflects continued confidence in the Jordanian
economy and its ability to implement reform and development programs.

He said the four-year cooperation framework provides a basis for
medium-term planning and helps improve the allocation of resources
toward national priorities.

Al-Tal explained that the agreement aligns with the Economic
Modernisation Vision, which focuses on investment in infrastructure,
digital transformation, and vital sectors such as water, energy, and
transport. He said this would contribute to improving private-sector
competitiveness and supporting the implementation of development and
reform projects, which could strengthen the Kingdom’s ability to
attract further investment.

He added that such agreements support economic growth by
strengthening productive capacity and contributing to job creation.
He noted that the agreement also aims to improve public spending
efficiency through monitoring mechanisms and performance indicators,
while achieving the desired outcomes depends on effective
implementation, sound governance, and the ability to translate
available resources into practical economic benefits.

Financial and economic expert Dr. Mohammad Abdel Qader said the
importance of the agreement lies in being the first of its kind with
the current US administration, reflecting confidence in Jordan’s
ability to continue implementing reform and development programs and
confirming its position as a stable and reliable partner in the
region.

He said directing assistance toward priorities identified under the
Economic Modernisation Vision would help translate external support
into tangible development outcomes. The agreement could contribute to
accelerating priority projects, improving infrastructure and basic
services, enhancing resource efficiency, and easing part of the
financial pressures facing the public budget, allowing the government
to direct additional resources toward social protection programs and
supporting investment and economic activity.

Abdel Qader highlighted water security as one of the main areas
covered by the agreement, given its national and economic importance.
He said improving water and wastewater networks, reducing losses, and
developing supply sources would directly improve services for
citizens while supporting agricultural, industrial, and tourism
sectors.

Regarding energy, he said directing part of the funding toward energy
projects and improving efficiency could contribute to strengthening
energy supply security, reducing production costs over the medium
term, and enhancing private-sector competitiveness, particularly
through renewable energy, energy storage, and improved energy
consumption efficiency in public and productive facilities.

In the education sector, Abdel Qader said the economic impact of the
agreement requires linking education and training programs with
labour market needs and developing digital, technical, and vocational
skills to improve workforce productivity and reduce the gap between
education outcomes and the requirements of emerging economic sectors.

He added that supporting tourism could contribute to developing
tourism sites and services, diversifying tourism products, increasing
visitors’ length of stay and spending, boosting foreign currency
revenues, and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities
in the governorates.

Abdel Qader also stressed the importance of implementing projects
through effective partnerships with the private sector and providing
local companies and small and medium-sized enterprises with an
appropriate role in supply, implementation, and services to
strengthen local content and ensure that the impact of funding
reaches different economic sectors.

He said the agreement could contribute to stimulating investment,
creating job opportunities, and improving the business environment,
stressing the importance of directing funding toward sustainable
projects that increase the economy’s productive capacity, improve
service quality, reduce operating costs, and strengthen Jordan’s
ability to rely more on its own resources.

Financial and economic expert Dr. Mohammad Al-Hadab said the signing
of the agreement reflects a transition in relations between the two
countries from separate support programs to a medium-term development
framework that defines priorities and targeted outcomes and provides
implementing bodies with greater capacity for planning and follow-up.

He added that the agreement falls within a broader strategic
partnership based on the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding, which aims
to support Jordan with US assistance amounting to $1.45 billion
annually during the 2023–2029 period. He said the continued signing
of new implementation agreements demonstrates the institutional
nature of bilateral relations despite changes in administrations and
international circumstances.

Al-Hadab explained that the importance of the agreement lies in
directing funding toward six key development areas, including water
and wastewater, energy, education, tourism, expanding economic
opportunities, and supporting resilience and self-reliance. He noted
that these sectors are directly linked to citizens’ quality of life
and the cost of doing business.

He said allocating part of the funding to water security carries
economic importance for Jordan, which is among the world’s most
water-scarce countries. Improving network efficiency, reducing
losses, and developing wastewater services can help increase
available resources for industrial, tourism, and service sectors.

Al-Hadab stressed that support for the energy sector could strengthen
energy supply security and reduce exposure to external market
fluctuations, particularly with Jordan’s expansion in renewable
energy and infrastructure development. He noted that funding directed
toward efficiency and clean energy could reduce operating costs,
improve the competitiveness of industry and services, and support
investment.

He explained that the economic value of education support lies in
reducing the gap between education outcomes and labour market needs
through vocational and technical education and digital skills
development. He said the success of programs should be measured by
the number of trainees who move into employment rather than only the
number of training courses or beneficiaries.

He also highlighted the importance of supporting tourism and economic
opportunities, noting the sector’s contribution to foreign currency
revenues and employment. He said the agreement could support tourism
site development, services, marketing, and training, increasing
visitor stays and spending while benefiting local communities and
small businesses.

Al-Hadab noted that economic relations between Jordan and the United
States provide an important foundation for further cooperation.
Jordanian exports to the United States reached JD 595 million during
the first third of 2026, while total exports amounted to around $3
billion in 2025, according to data from the American Chamber of
Commerce in Jordan.

These exports are concentrated in garments and textiles, jewellery,
machinery, electrical equipment, and pharmaceutical products,
providing opportunities to strengthen the capabilities of these
sectors and diversify exports.

Al-Hadab concluded that the agreement reflects confidence in the
Kingdom’s ability to continue implementing reform and development
programs and highlights the strength of cooperation between the two
countries in economic, trade, security, and development fields.

//Petra//WH