The International Monetary Fund on Monday gave Jordan access to about $130 million after the multilateral lender found Amman to have made progress in its economic reform programme.
The Washington-based lender approved a $1.2 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Jordan in January to support the government's economic programme following the conclusion of an initial review, the Washington-based lender said.
“The EFF-supported programme is off to a strong start, reflecting the authorities’ strong ownership of the programme,” the IMF said.
The EFF helps provide financial assistance to countries facing serious problems with medium-term balance of payments because of the length of time it takes to address structural weaknesses.
The agreement is designed to support Amman's efforts at placing public debt on a “steady downwards path”, protect social and capital spending and broaden the tax base.
“The authorities remain firmly committed to sound macroeconomic policies and advancing structural reforms, to maintain macro stability, further strengthen economic resilience, and foster stronger, job-rich growth and improved living standards for all Jordanians,” the IMF said.
The IMF downgraded Jordan's growth projection from 2.6 per cent this year to 2.4 per cent before growth picks up again in 2025. The IMF also noted Jordan's inflation rate is low, and that reserve buffers are strong.
“Jordan’s economy continues to show resilience, including in the face of the challenges posed by the Israel–Gaza conflict and the disruptions to trade in the Red Sea,” the IMF said.
Despite this strong performance, “challenges remain”, the multilateral lender said, noting the country's high unemployment rate.
“Importantly, the unsettled regional situation weighs on Jordan’s near-term outlook,” it said.
“Strong international support remains needed to support the authorities’ policy efforts and to help shoulder the cost of hosting a large number of Syrian refugees.”
Government gross debt is projected to dip to 113.7 per cent of Jordan's gross domestic product this year from a downwardly revised 114.1 per cent in 2023.
The IMF said Jordan's fiscal policy remains focused on continuing to reduce public debt while expanding support to vulnerable households, while monetary policy remains focused on maintaining stability and protecting the exchange rate peg.
It also said the war's impact on growth and investment highlights the need to continue and accelerate these reforms.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 1
Mata 11'
Chelsea 1
Alonso 43'
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
