Amman, Sep. 10 (Petra) -- The Governments of Jordan and Japan signed on Wednesday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth 1.017 billion Japanese yen (equivalent to USD 7 million) to support the fourth phase of the Border Security Enhancement Project, under the framework of Japan’s Economic and Social Development Program.
The project aims to strengthen the capacities of border centers and develop their security systems through a unified national database that effectively supports monitoring and tracking operations.
The MoU was signed on behalf of the Jordanian government by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Toukan, and on behalf of the Japanese government by Hideki Asari, Ambassador of Japan to Jordan, in the presence of a number of embassy officials.
Toukan expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the Government of Japan for its continuous support of Jordan’s development and modernization efforts, stressing the importance of bilateral relations between the two countries and highlighting the mutual commitment to economic development.
In turn, Ambassador Asari reaffirmed his government’s commitment to continuing to provide various forms of financial and technical assistance to Jordan in areas of mutual interest, thereby contributing to the development and strengthening of bilateral relations between the two friendly countries.
He added that this initiative will help enhance the operational capacities of personnel at border crossings and pointed out that this contribution represents the fourth installment under the Economic and Social Development Program, reflecting the depth and continuity of the partnership between the two nations. He also commended the steadfast role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in promoting peace and stability in the region despite ongoing and complex security challenges.
It is worth noting that the Government of Japan had previously provided support for the implementation of three phases of the project, with a total value of 2 billion yen (equivalent to $18.4 million). The total Japanese assistance extended to Jordan since 1999 has amounted to approximately $ 2.2 billion, in addition to technical assistance provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
//Petra// AJ
