During each of the last five decades -- beginning in the early 1950s -- The U.S.-Jordanian development partnership has been an important feature of the relationship between the two countries. The legacy of these early programs lives on in a variety of ways. For example, thousands of Jordanians have benefited from USAID scholarships. Similarly, U.S.-Jordanian cooperation in health, education, transport, agriculture, business development and other fields has left a lasting mark.

When USAID's predecessor agency opened its first office in Amman in 1952, Jordan was a small, agricultural society of little over a million people. Today, almost half a century later, Jordan has emerged as a middle income country with some 5.2 million people, an educated workforce and an increasingly diverse economy.

Much work remains to be done. Nonetheless, the progress achieved by Jordan is impressive, especially for a country that has no oil and few other natural resources. Instead, Jordan has had to rely on the creativity and skills of its people. This creativity and these skills remain as the bedrock of the Jordanian economy as it faces the challenges and opportunities of a new millennium.

The history of Jordan's development since the early 1950s to some extent mirrors the history of the USAID program in the country. Early economic assistance programs focused on building schools, establishing health systems, constructing roads and irrigation works, renovating tourist sites, and training Jordanians in a variety of technical fields. With the basic infrastructure in place, USAID assistance expanded into new areas. For example, in the mid-1980s support for a growing private sector received strong emphasis.

Over the last few years, Jordan has once again emerged as an important USAID priority. For example, USAID assistance in 2004 totaled $350 million, making Jordan one of the largest USAID recipients worldwide. Funding levels for 2005 and 2006 are expected to remain at about this level. Currently USAID activities in Jordan are focused on (1) enhancing an integrated approach to water resource management; (2) increasing economic opportunities for Jordanians; (3) improving education and life skills; (4) improving the health status of Jordanians; and (5) improving governance and expanding civic participation.