Global Policy Forum

By Ruba Saqr

Deputy Prime Minster and Minister of Economic Affairs Mohammad Halaiqa said on Monday that a "unique" initiative has been adopted by the government, the IUCN and the UNDP to relieve some of the country's foreign debts by allocating them for environmental projects in the country. Halaiqa said negotiations are still taking place to reach a settlement on a "debt for nature swap" project, an initiative that aims at easing Jordan's debt through benefiting the local environment. "Now we are in the stage of negotiating this with countries like Belgium, France and other countries," Halaiqa told the Jordan Times.

Supporting this initiative, Halaiqa said, are different ministries and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). However, Halaiqa said it would take "some time" to reach a final agreement on which of the environmental projects will be swapped for debt, saying that he does not yet know when the negotiations will conclude. "We are not talking about huge amounts of money, we are talking about reasonable amount[s] of money to be allocated for environmental projects," Halaiqa said. Halaiqa, who also heads the ministerial committee working to establish a ministry of environment, said no figures have been set yet. "We are discussing the possibilities," the minister said.

"I believe [the initiative] signals awareness on our side and awareness of our debtors of the importance of environment in the region," Halaiqa noted. "The environment now is not a national issue, it is a transboundary issue." Halaiqa added that the role of NGOs in Jordan is essential in developing the country's environmental awareness and programmes. "Jordan has covered a lot of ground in environmental protection and sets an example. The role of NGOs in Jordan is amazing, and we look forward to pursuing this initiative and to getting some money for some good environmental projects," Halaiqa said.

Iyad Abumoghli, UNDP assistant resident representative, said that the agency paid around $50,000 over the past three years on holding a "participatory approach process" to identify the country's environmental priorities. "A consultative meeting [took place] with representatives from 60 institutions in the country, including government institutions, NGOs, the private sector and individuals," Abumoghli said. Later, Abumoghli said, a steering committee consisting of six people, from the government, IUCN and UNDP, have been founded. It is open to other future donors, who have their own environmental criteria to follow, he said.

Officials said representatives from the government include high-ranking officials from the ministries of finance, agriculture, water and planning, the General Corporation for Environment Protection and the Greater Amman Municipality. Halaiqa said the country's "crucial water issues," are at the forefront of the government's national agenda. But he also stressed the importance of other aspects of Jordan's "fragile environment" such as the coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba, the country's limited seashore, and the fact that 80 per cent of the area of Jordan is arid land.

Halaiqa said the conservation of some archaeological, historical and natural sites in Jordan and the management of hazardous waste were also imperative. According to Abumoghli, a set of criteria was agreed on by the different stake-holders who have proposed projects for issues like desertification, water resources, biodiversity protection and infrastructure development. The criteria, Abumoghli said, includes the creation of jobs for the local community, income-generation activities and others related to the country's environment strategy and action plan.

"Out of this workshop the ‘debt for environment swap' document was produced that lists all the proposed projects according to the agreed upon priorities," Abumoghli said. The process is based on a previous initiative launched by UNDP and other donors in the past years, including the National Environment Strategy, the National Environment Action Plan, Agenda 21 and others. Alia Hatough-Bouran, secretary general of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, said the UNDP is a "strategic partner in this initiative." "We are in the stage of preparation for such an economic venture," Bouran said.

Bouran holds the environment portfolio in the Free Trade Agreements still under way with the US, led by Halaiqa. She is also working with Halaiqa to establish the first environment ministry in Jordan. "The IUCN headquarters have appointed an officer in charge of the debt initiative... to conclude this programme as soon as possible," Bouran said. IUCN Director General Maritta Koch-Weser expressed the IUCN's support for the initiative saying that the "debt for nature swaps" are good for the country's economy and for the environment.

According to Koch-Weser, the IUCN headquarters will add to the initiative by preparing a project in collaboration the Global Environment Facility. Koch-Weser did not elaborate on the nature of the project, but said it is part of the debt-swap project with Jordan. "Jordan already has ‘debt for nature swaps' with some countries, and I think that is not probably moving and quickly enough," Koch-Weser told the Jordan Times. "This is what would be very desirable."

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