📋 Tender Overview
As part of the visit of Jordan's King Abdullah II .bin al-Hussein to Berlin, Development Minister Svenja Schulze and Jordanian Minister for Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Toukan, signed a declaration of intent on cooperation with skilled workers. The focus is on the labour markets in Germany as well as in Jordan. In addition, both countries announced development projects worth 209 million euros to strengthen Jordan's private sector, tackle the dramatic water crisis and further advance the reform of Jordan's education sector.
Jordan is an important partner country in a highly fragile neighbourhood. People in the region and the international community have high hopes for his traditional role as a mediator in the Middle East – even in the current escalation in the Middle East. The country's domestic political stability is therefore crucial. It is a prerequisite for Jordan to remain a safe haven for millions of refugees from the region.
The biggest challenge for Jordan is the creation of jobs and the containment of the dramatic water crisis. To ensure that Jordan does not run out of water soon in times of climate change, new water sources urgently need to be developed. Central to this is the construction of a seawater desalination plant on the Red Sea, in which the BMZ is participating together with other donors.
While Germany is urgently looking for qualified workers, many young people in Jordan lack job prospects. Around half of young adults are unemployed. Together, two projects are now to be piloted that promote regulated mobility of skilled workers from Jordan to Germany. On the one hand, a training project for skilled trades is to be set up, which will offer young Jordanians practical experience and employment opportunities in both countries. In addition, a counselling centre is to be set up in Amman to provide information on conditions and opportunities on the German labour market.
In November, Development Minister Schulze will give the go-ahead for this contact point for interested experts in Amman.
Schulze: "The agreement with Jordan is a concrete example of how we can regulate migration more tightly – together with partner countries and with practical approaches. Fair migration creates sustainable development, contributes to good work worldwide and offers people an alternative to irregular and dangerous routes. I am very pleased that we will now be tapping into this potential in our development cooperation with Jordan."
The counselling centre is operated in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Labour and works closely with the Goethe-Institut in Amman. A complementary centre of the Goethe-Institut focuses on pre-integration and preparation for daily life and work in Germany. This cooperation is intended to help ensure that when recruiting skilled workers, not only the necessary qualification and vocational training are taken into account, but also language acquisition and integration. The aim is to make people who come to Germany as skilled workers feel welcome and well prepared.
During the state visit to Berlin, Germany and Jordan also signed financing agreements for development projects in the areas of economic development and water crisis mitigation. Germany pledged 134 million euros, including for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, for scholarship programmes in vocational education and training and for the construction of a seawater desalination plant on the Red Sea. In addition, Germany is increasing its support for the reform of Jordan's education sector with a loan of a further 75 million euros. At the heart of all projects is the approach that people in Jordan can provide for their livelihood independently, under good conditions and in the long term.
