The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has extended a $30mn (€28.5mn) financing package to support the expansion of wastewater infrastructure in Jordan, the bank said in a statement on December 17. 

The financing package comprises a $19mn sovereign loan from the EBRD, supplemented by two investment grants: $8mn from the UK through the High Impact Partnership on Climate Action (HIPCA) and €2.75mn from the EU Neighbourhood Investment Platform.

"Jordan is a severely water-scarce country, and its municipal infrastructure is being challenged by rapid population growth and a significant number of refugees," the bank noted. 

The new wastewater facility in Jordan’s second-largest city, Irbid, will improve and expand sanitation infrastructure services, benefiting up to 200,000 individuals by 2045. 

The funds will be directed to the Jordanian Water Authority to construct a new wastewater treatment plant in West Irbid. The facility is expected to serve up to 200,000 residents by 2045.

The HIPCA programme, launched in 2021 with support from multiple international donors, including the UK, US, and EU countries, aims to address global climate challenges. 

Since 2012, the EBRD has contributed to Jordan's development by investing over €2.2bn across 74 developmental projects.

The grant agreements were signed by Gretchen Birk, EBRD Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Zeina Toukan, Jordan’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, and Raed Abu Saud, Jordan’s Minister of Water and Irrigation, in the presence of Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, EU Ambassador to Jordan, and Philip Hall, UK Ambassador to Jordan.

Bnm IntelliNews reached out to the EBRD for further comment on the loan repayment period to the respective countries and institutions, as of yet the agency has not received a response. 

The EBRD Representative emphasised the importance of this collaboration in enhancing local infrastructure and improving livelihoods, while Jordan’s Planning Minister highlighted the project’s contribution to achieving sustainable development goals.

The UK Ambassador underscored the need to reuse and conserve water resources, and the EU Ambassador noted that the project aligns with the EU’s broader efforts to address Jordan’s water challenges.