Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates pledged $2.5bn of aid to Jordan yesterday, a joint statement from the Gulf states said, following austerity measures that have sparked massive protests in the country. Price hikes and subsidy cuts pushed thousands of Jordanians to
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates pledged $2.5bn of aid to Jordan yesterday, a joint statement from the Gulf states said, following austerity measures that have sparked massive protests in the country.
Price hikes and subsidy cuts pushed thousands of Jordanians to the streets last week against the government’s economic policies. The rare, peaceful protests prompted King Abdullah to sack the government and appoint a new prime minister, whose first pledge was to shelve steep tax hikes.
The package includes a deposit in Jordan’s central bank, guarantees to the World Bank, annual budget support for five years, and development projects, the statement carried by the Saudi state news agency, SPA, added.
The decision was taken in Makkah in Saudi Arabia where King Salman hosted a summit with Jordanian King Abdullah, Kuwait’s Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, and UAE Vice President Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
