Jordan receives 50 million dollars in new batch of US aid

Amman - The Jordanian government on Tuesday received 50 million dollars in a new batch of US economic aid to Jordan for 2009, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation said in a statement. The installment brings to 143 million dollars the economic aid received by Jordan from the United States so far this year.

The new batch will be used to balance the public budget deficit, which is expected to hit an all-time high of about 1.5 billion dollars this year, the ministry said.

The United States so far pledged to extend 513.5 million dollars as economic aid this year to Jordan.

The ministry said that the government was establishing close contacts with European countries to speed up the payment of financial aid pledged by EU countries to Jordan for the 2009 budget.

Jordan is scheduled to receive 786 million dollars this year from non-Arab donor countries, including 365 million dollars to support this year's budget, the ministry said.