Trainees of EU-funded project to reinforce Jordan’s capabilities at the Eastern borders

The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Jordan and Expertise France are proud to announce the award ceremony within the framework of the project “Reinforcing Jordan’s Capabilities at the Eastern Borders”. Funded by the EU for a total amount of €6 million, this project aims to improve the coordination and sustainability of civil-military operations in the Eastern border of Jordan, with the provision of a multi-agency logistical hub in Ruwaished, a town in the Mafraq Governorate, as well as capacity building activities.

The ceremony, held on 03 February at the HQ of the Jordan Armed Forces, was attended by the Brigadier General Bassam Al Faleh, H.E. Maria Hadjitheodosiou, Ambassador of the EU to Jordan, and H.E. Véronique Vouland, Ambassador of France to Jordan.

This event was an opportunity to award 50 trainees from the Jordan Armed Forces, the Public Security Directorate, the Customs and the General Intelligence Directorate. These trainees took part in trainings provided by the EU to improve their knowledge of Logistics and civil-military cooperation.

The objective of the capacity-building component is to enhance the national authorities’ capability to respond to any threats at the Northern and Eastern borders likely to hamper Jordan’s security. It will also contribute to the sustainable resumption of normal cross-border traffic with Iraq and to improve the humanitarian and civil protection response.

H.E. Ambassador Hadjitheodosiou stressed that this training is a component of an ongoing programme carried out in the context of the EU-Jordan cooperation aiming to enhance border management and protection of Jordanian citizens. “The increasing and changing nature of threats for global security, and the limited resources and capabilities make the interaction between civilian and military organizations imperative to better manage the disaster response. These trainings will enhance coordination and sustainability of the crisis-response in the Eastern part of Jordan”.

French Ambassador Véronique Vouland added: “The objective of this hub is to support the efforts of Jordan to secure its borders and to enhance its civil-military cooperation. She added: “This project is an outstanding example of Jordanian, European and French Partnership, and I look forward to seeing it completed and fully operational”.

The project is implemented by Expertise France, which is the French public agency for international technical assistance. Expertise France provides its support to the building of the infrastructure and will provide training activities, working closely with the Jordanian Armed Forces and the relevant Jordanian law enforcement and security agencies.