The European Union has signed two financing agreements with Jordan totalling €25mn to support reforms in technical education and cultural heritage preservation, EU officials said on July 3.

Jordan is the most pro-Western country in the Levant region and has acted as a host to millions of Palestinian, Iraqi and Syrian refugees over the years, receiving millions in funding from the West.

Gert-Jan Koopman, EU Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, signed the agreements with Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Touqan, during a visit to Amman.

The first agreement, worth €15mn, aims to enhance youth employment by improving technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

The programme includes a scholarship scheme for underprivileged students and aligns with a German-backed initiative to orient education towards labour market needs.

The second agreement provides €10mn to rehabilitate two major archaeological sites, Quwaylebah (Abila) and Mekawer/Machaerus, in collaboration with Italian development agencies and civil society organisations.

"Through these two new programmes, the EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to supporting Jordan's economic and social development," Koopman said in a statement.

Minister Touqan highlighted the EU's role as a key development partner for Jordan, noting the progress in the kingdom's modernisation and reform efforts.

The agreements are part of a broader €165mn EU education portfolio in Jordan, which includes support for the Ministry of Education and scholarships for Jordanian and Syrian beneficiaries.

These initiatives align with Jordan's "Economic Modernisation Vision" and aim to address skills mismatches in the labour market while promoting sustainable tourism development.