NAF, World Bank talk social protection cooperation
By JT – Jan 26,2025
AMMAN — Secretary General of the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) Hisham Haisa and World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Ousmane Dione on Sunday discussed the importance of financing new water projects in the Kingdom.
During a tour at Mujib Dam, Haisa briefed Dione on the reality of Jordan’s dams and their role in enhancing national water security, addressing the increasing water challenges facing the Kingdom and exploring future opportunities for developing water resources, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
Haisa presented plans to finance Nakheel and Telal Dhahab dams as “vital” projects, aimed at boosting the Kingdom’s dam storage capacity and improving management of water resources.
Haisa also stressed the importance of establishing new water projects to address the increasing challenges amid scarcity, underscoring their role in supporting sustainable development and growth of local communities.
He also reviewed JVA’s national strategy and efforts to develop the sector and improve resources efficiency by expanding water harvesting initiatives.
Dione praised efforts made to enable the Kingdom’s water sector to face challenges, expressing the World Bank’s “remarkable” interest in the proposed water projects.
Also on Sunday, Director General of the National Aid Fund (NAF) Khitam Shneikat and Dione reviewed the fund’s current social assistance programmes provided to the Kingdom’s target groups.
During a meeting, Shneikat briefed Dione on NAF’s services in providing support and assistance to the Kingdom’s impoverished and needy families, primarily the Unified Cash Support Programme, Petra reported.
Shneikat also referred to these programmes’ role in creating “a living standard” for underprivileged households to secure their livelihood requirements.
The director general also stressed the importance of the bank’s technical and technological role in developing the NAF’s work process.
The computer infrastructure, provided in cooperation and partnership with the World Bank and partner international organisations, has a role in implementing the NAF’s programmes, according to the “best” international standards in the social protection field, she pointed out.
Shneikat also stressed that NAF pays “due” attention to economic empowerment to create a “new” culture that suits the economic conditions facing poor families.
She said that NAF’s training and employment areas are the “main” priorities in the quality of its strategic goals.
Dione praised efforts made to raise the impoverished households’ living standards, expressing the World Bank’s interest in increasing the cooperation level.
http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/jordan-valley-authority-world-bank-discuss-financing-new-water-projects