Queen Rania meets OFID director general following a grant agreement with Madrasati

AMMAN — As part of her continued efforts to support and improve the public school system in Jordan and her passion for education, Her Majesty Queen Rania on Tuesday met with Suleiman J Al Herbish, the director general of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID).

The meeting took place after the OFID director general signed an agreement awarding $700,000 in grant funding to the Madrasati Initiative, launched by the Queen in 2008, according to a statement released by her office.

The initiative aims at supporting the Jordanian public school system, which is facing difficulties as it continues to accommodate increasing numbers of Syrian refugee pupils.

During the meeting, Queen Rania commended OFID’s role in supporting sustainable development through education, programmes and activities carried out by developing countries and in line with the priorities of those countries.

Al Herbish expressed his appreciation to Queen Rania for receiving the OFID delegation and praised the noble mandate of the Jordan River Foundation, the statement said. 

He also recognised the considerable burdens that Jordan faces as a result of the Syrian crisis and reaffirmed OFID’s financial assistance to the Madrasati Initiative in this context.

The fund’s cooperation with Jordan began in 1977 and OFID has approved over $68 million for 10 public sector projects so far, according to the statement. 

A further $178 million has been delivered in private sector and trade financing. The bulk of these resources has supported the energy, agriculture, health and education sectors. 

Other projects funded by OFID in Jordan include the Queen Rania Children’s Hospital at the King Hussein Medical City, the Queen Alia International Airport and the King Abdullah I Hospital in Irbid, the statement said.

OFID is a development finance institution established by OPEC member states in 1976 as a collective channel of aid to developing countries. The fund works to stimulate economic growth and alleviate poverty in disadvantaged regions of the world by providing financing to build essential infrastructure, strengthen social services delivery and promote productivity, competitiveness and trade.