EU offers Jordan 180 mn euros financial aid

BRUSSELS - Agence France-Presse

The European Commission signed off on a 180 million euro aid package for Jordan on Tuesday to help it assist refugees from Syria and cope with a disruption of gas imports from Egypt.
     
 Under the terms of a deal signed by Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn and Jordan's Finance Minister Umayya Toukan, the EU executive offered Amman a medium-term loan in two instalments this year of 100 million euros and 80 million euros ($250 million in total).
      
"The EU is helping Jordan to weather the severe impact of the regional economic and political crisis," Rehn said. "This assistance will help ease Jordan's financing constraints and support its economic reforms."    
  
The aid aims to help Jordan address the consequences of a number of external economic shocks, notably related to the conflict in Syria and the disruption in gas imports from Egypt.