NATO signs Fourth Trust Fund with Jordan
On 22 November 2017, the Permanent Representative of Spain, Ambassador Nicolás Pablo Pascual De La Parte, the Ambassador of Switzerland, Christian Meuwly, and the Acting General Manager of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), Mr. Paul Hammond, signed at NATO Headquarters an agreement launching the Fourth Mediterranean Dialogue Trust Fund with Jordan. The signing ceremony, was opened by Mr. Nicola de Santis, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Section, NATO Political Affairs and Security Policy Division and by Major General Nasser Al-Alathamneh, Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning and Defence Resources of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Building upon the experience gained and the achievements accomplished through the previous Mediterranean Dialogue Trust Funds for Jordan for the elimination of explosive remnants of war and for ammunition stockpile management, this Fourth Trust Fund project will help the Jordanian Armed Forces build a self-sustaining ammunition demilitarization capacity. This will include support to the Demilitarization Centre, Propellant Surveillance, and Destruction Recycling capabilities, to the benefit of the civilian population.
In December 2007, NATO launched the first ever Mediterranean Dialogue Trust Fund with Jordan to assist this partner country with the elimination of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), through the funding of a survey and by delivering ERW location and search equipment to the Jordanian Armed Forces.
A second Trust Fund was launched in November 2009 with two initiatives. The first one was the funding of a mine and explosive remnants of war education programme in the three provinces of Ajloun, Jerash and Zarqa, for the safety of the civilian population. The second involved purchasing, installing and commissioning equipment for the ammunition demilitarisation facility in Zarqa, as well as providing technical and managerial training where required.
The third Trust Fund for Jordan which was launched in 2014 is an excellent example of the practical work the Alliance does with its partners to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The Trust Fund project supports the Jordanian Armed Forces in their goal to attain a 3% female representation and to offer women wider career opportunities through supporting the recruitment of female officers and gender training.
Today, the Fourth Trust Fund marks the continuity of this new kind of cooperation, where civilian and military expertise is combined with the contribution to the security and safety of the civilian population and the enhancement of the operational and technical capacity of the Jordanian Armed Forces.