Jordan’s Public Debt Increases to $41 Bln

Visitors tour the Amman Citadel, Jordan, July 21, 2022. (Reuters)
Visitors tour the Amman Citadel, Jordan, July 21, 2022. (Reuters)
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Jordan’s Public Debt Increases to $41 Bln

Visitors tour the Amman Citadel, Jordan, July 21, 2022. (Reuters)
Visitors tour the Amman Citadel, Jordan, July 21, 2022. (Reuters)

Jordan’s public debt rose 1.6 percent to 29.16 billion dinars ($41 billion) in the first half of 2022 from 28.7 billion dinars at the end of 2021.

Its domestic debt reached 13.89 billion dinars at the end of H1, while its foreign debt reached 15.26 billion dinars, according to statistics posted on the Ministry of Finance's website.

Jordan's public debt now stands at 88.4 percent of its GDP.

As part of a deal with the International Monetary Fund, the Ministry of Finance announced early last year that its debts, which amounted to almost 7 billion dinars, would be excluded from the Social Security Investment Fund.

Jordan has warned of the notable drop in international support to refugees in the Middle East and to the relevant UN agencies.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi in Amman, where he stressed the need for mobilizing joint action to provide a decent life for refugees and help host countries shoulder the burden of hosting them.

Safadi praised the solid partnership between Jordan and the UNHCR to present necessary services to about 1.3 million Syrians residing in Jordan.

He also underlined the role of the UNHCR in supporting refugees and keeping their cause alive on the international agenda.

The officials agreed to intensify efforts to rally international support for refugees.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh discussed with Grandi the economic challenges facing the kingdom due to the burden refugees pose on Jordan’s infrastructure, education, health, water and job opportunities.

He urged the international community and donor countries to continue to provide necessary support to host communities.

Jordan hosts almost 650,000 Syrians registered with the United Nations, but Amman estimates close to 1.3 million Syrians had arrived since 2011 when the conflict in the neighboring country erupted.

Jordan has said it has spent over 12 billion dollars on hosting them.



Cyprus Says Egypt’s Infrastructure Helps Unlock Potential of Its Gas Reserves

 Officials are seen at Egypt’s international Energy Show (EGYPES 2025). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Officials are seen at Egypt’s international Energy Show (EGYPES 2025). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Cyprus Says Egypt’s Infrastructure Helps Unlock Potential of Its Gas Reserves

 Officials are seen at Egypt’s international Energy Show (EGYPES 2025). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Officials are seen at Egypt’s international Energy Show (EGYPES 2025). (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Cypriot Energy Minister George Papanastasiou said Egypt's energy infrastructure helps Cyprus make the most of its gas reserves.

Speaking at Egypt’s international Energy Show (EGYPES 2025), Papanastasiou stressed that a successful energy transition should focus on energy security, affordable resources, and supporting technologies.

He also emphasized the importance of working with Egypt, given its competitive advantages in the sector.

Egypt and Cyprus signed two agreements on Monday, on the sidelines of EGYPES 2025, to begin developing Cyprus’ natural gas discoveries using Egypt’s infrastructure.

The agreements are part of Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry strategy to transform the country into a regional hub for natural gas trade, by receiving gas from Eastern Mediterranean discoveries, directing it to the local market, and re-exporting it to Europe.

Egyptian Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi emphasized Egypt’s role as a regional energy hub, thanks to its strong infrastructure in the petroleum and gas sectors.

He said the main goal of regional energy cooperation is to help countries make the most of their resources and infrastructure, with close partnerships between Egypt, Cyprus, and Europe for mutual benefit.

Egypt’s strategy focuses on using its location and advanced infrastructure to boost its role in renewable and green energy, as well as petrochemicals, Badawi explained.

He also highlighted plans to diversify energy sources, increase renewable energy, and explore green hydrogen, while responsibly producing oil and gas with minimal carbon emissions.

Greek Energy Minister Theodore Skylakakis discussed Greece's efforts to secure energy and develop electricity infrastructure, turning the country from an importer into an exporter of electricity for the first time.

Badawi signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Skilakakis on cooperation in carbon capture, storage, and utilization with the aim to reduce carbon emissions from the energy sector and support low-carbon economy.

The MoU, inked on the sidelines of EGYPES 2025, seeks to facilitate knowledge exchange between Egypt and Greece on the application of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies that capture the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and store it safely underground, so that it does not contribute to climate change.

The scope of cooperation includes developing proposals for a regulatory framework for carbon capture, storage, and utilization activities, in accordance with environmental standards and regulations.