AMMAN -- The German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) has marked its 30th year of "successful cooperation" with Jordan.
On the occasion, GTZ Jordan issued an anniversary brochure in which it highlighted the key development projects that received the support of the agency throughout its work in the Kingdom.
In a statement signed by Director of GTZ Middle East Heinz-Michael Hauser, the official said the fast pace and wide range of Jordan's modernisation plans prompted the agency to narrow its activities to a few key areas, particularly the water sector.
Other areas of interest include poverty alleviation and the promotion of structural reform processes in the Kingdom.
Among the projects the agency has implemented in Jordan is Use of Reclaimed Water in the Jordan Valley, which seeks to encourage farmers in the area to use reclaimed water in accordance with environmental and public health standards.
The project is based on the expertise of the Brackish Water Project which was successfully implemented in the same area between July 1997 and June 2003. It was implemented by the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) in cooperation with the ministries of water and irrigation, agriculture, environment and health, in addition to the Royal Scientific Society (RSS), among other organisation.
Another project is the Operation Management Support to the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ). The project, implemented in cooperation with WAJ, seeks to increase the efficiency of the potable water supply and wastewater disposal services to the population through commercialisation of business process in the WAJ and higher participation of the private sector.
Another key project is the Use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for Water Resource Management. The project, implemented in cooperation with GIS division of the Jordan Valley Authority, seeks to train Jordanians, improve the digital spatial database and develop GIS applications in water resources management.
Meanwhile, GTZ Jordan launched the Poverty Alleviation through Community Development project, which seeks to promote already existing self-help organisations and focuses particularly on founding women's cooperatives.
The project reaches poorer segments of society in rural areas, combining friendly measures for improving the standard of living with a self-help oriented approach. The project is organised in cooperation with Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Forestry.
The Kingdom was also involved in regional GTZ schemes, such as the Regional Cooperation of Specific Arab States in the Sector of Vocational Education and Training -- Regional Arab-German Network on TVET project. The project seeks to improve economic growth and employment in the Mashreq region and related countries via enhancing the quality of technical and vocational education and training according to the requirement of the labour market.
The project is implemented by the ministries of education, labour with competencies for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories.
Mahmoud Al Abed
© Jordan Times 2004
