Jordan

The water available in Jordan amounts to about 90 m3 per person each year, which is far below the defined water poverty level of 500 m3 per person each year. The kingdom is thus considered to be one of the 20 most arid countries in the world. The high rate of population growth, large number of Syrian refugees, rapid urbanisation and, to some extent, unsustainable water use (particularly for irrigated agriculture) intensify the problem. So KfW is using a holistic approach in Jordan to support sustainable and more efficient use of water. In addition to cooperating with Jordanian partners, KfW is working closely with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and other donors to do this. Financial Cooperation (FC) promotion contributes to the reduction of water losses in the distribution networks and thus supports the conservation of resources. Draining and treating wastewater and its recycling for use in agriculture are further important issues. Investments in residential water management are linked to reforms in the sector; the aim is to increase efficiency and cost coverage, and to improve service quality and customer focus.

Project information Water (PDF, 112 KB, non-accessible)

Jordan’s education sector demonstrates major quantitative and qualitative shortfalls. Over 200 schools are currently operating in two shifts, while others are working with significant overcrowding in classrooms. This negatively affects access to education and the condition of school infrastructure. To increase the amount and quality of school infrastructure, KfW is financing construction and furnishing of schools on behalf of the German Federal Government and the EU. A labour-intensive cleaning and maintenance work programme is being created to improve conditions in schools and simultaneously provide employment for Syrian refugees. Salaries for additional teaching staff and administrative personnel are being financed to provide access to education for children of Syrian refugees. The high unemployment rate is another challenge in Jordan. A programme to promote vocational training is currently being created to increase the population's opportunities on the labour market. KfW uses quickly implemented, labour-intensive infrastructure measures to create short-term employment opportunities for Jordanians and Syrian refugees. To increase long-term employment, KfW is participating in funds that will improve access to financial products and consulting services for small and medium-sized businesses. KfW is using these measures to contribute positively to job creation and business start-ups.

Project Information education (PDF, 193 KB, non-accessible)

Jordan is one of the most arid countries in the world. Because pumps used to supply water require large amounts of energy, Jordanian water suppliers are some of the largest energy consumers in the country. As a result, Jordanian water suppliers have considerable costs. Energy production in Jordan is currently based almost exclusively on fossil fuels and is highly dependent on imports, even though there is enormous potential for expansion into renewable energy sources. Against this backdrop, the government has developed a long-term national energy strategy that aims to generate 10% of energy from renewable sources and to reduce the manufacturing industry’s energy consumption by 20% by 2020 compared to 2005. German Development Cooperation is supporting these plans and, in addition to other measures, is promoting energy production from sewage sludge, the construction of large photovoltaic systems and energy-efficiency measures in public buildings. The savings potential is particularly large in hospitals, schools and health centres due to outdated infrastructure.

Project information energy (PDF, 174 KB, non-accessible)

Jordan has 10.3 million residents – and has additionally taken in around 670,000 Syrian refugees, most of whom live in cities and communities in the northern part of the country. In many of these communities, the number of inhabitants has doubled over the course of a single year. Infrastructure for the supply of water, energy, medical care and education was insufficient to begin with, but it has now been pushed to the limits of what it can withstand. This is particularly the case for the water supply and education sector. German Development Cooperation supports these communities in the construction of necessary infrastructure, while also providing support for refugee camps. The projects that KfW finances supplement commitments in the above-mentioned sectors (teaching and support staff in Jordanian schools, childcare facilities, power from solar energy, water supply and sanitation). In addition, it is providing financing for Cash-for-Work measures within the scope of the German Federal Government’s “Middle East Employment Campaign” through which refugees and residents of host communities can generate quickly available income.