Jordan gets UNDP envirnmental program grant

The UN Development Program provided Jordan with an additional half a million dollars to back an environmental protection campaign launched by NGOs in Jordan.

The UNDP's representative in Jordan, Urgan Lissner, said the grant was well-deserved by the groups, who do excellent work at the community level. His remarks came at the opening of a two-day workshop on the global environment facility. The meeting was organized by UNDP and held under the supervision of Princess Basma.

The UNDP gives local organizations the opportunity to do environmental work at the national level.

The director of Jordan's Women Center told the reporters that in addition to environmental groups, women's organizations would also get the support they need.

Jordan is the number one beneficiary of the global environment facility program in the Arab World. "The resources produced over the past two years have been excellent," Lissner said.

"It is a very excellent opportunity for smaller organizations in Jordan who do not normally get access to external funding to get work to have a confidence to do things at the local level, and the results we have seen for the last five years are excellent," Lissner told reporters. "Communities are beginning to address environmental problems in a very active way and we are very pleased," he added.

He said a new round of funding of $2.5 million will be coming to Jordan for Jordan NGOs to continue their work.