Abu Dhabi Fund For Development-financed Faculty Of Medicine And Pharmacy Building Opens In Jordan

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for international development aid, praised the inauguration of the AED41.5 million (US$11.3 million) Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy building at the Yarmouk University in Jordan

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 19th Mar, 2019) Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for international development aid, praised the inauguration of the AED41.5 million (US$11.3 million) Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy building at the Yarmouk University in Jordan.

ADFD contributed US$8.6 million (AED31.6 million) amounting to more than 76 percent of the total project cost. The funding was made as part of the UAE government’s contribution of AED4.6 billion (US$1.25 billion) in 2013 to the Gulf Development Fund - a five-year grant programme of the GCC member countries to finance development projects in Jordan.

Inaugurated today, the opening ceremony was attended by Faisal Ahmed Al Malik, Charge d'Affaires of the UAE Embassy in Amman, and included senior representatives from both sides.

Expected to benefit 3,000 students per year, the newly completed building involved the construction of classrooms, laboratories, offices for faculty members, and multi-purpose halls, and the provision of associated services.

Speaking on the significance of the project, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi. Director General of ADFD, said: "Over the years, the UAE and Jordan have consistently reinforced their strong mutual ties. As part of this synergy, ADFD has played a vital role in contributing to the Jordanian government’s efforts in achieving its national goals across a period of more than four decades. Since 1974, ADFD has funded 31 development projects in Jordan valued at AED5.6 billion."

He added: "In line with the Jordanian government’s Education Strategic Plan 2018-2022, Yarmouk University’s new Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy building will help provide quality education in the country.

It will also support the fourth United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring ‘inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’."

For his part, Professor Zeidan Kafafi, President of the Yarmouk University, praised the support of the UAE, and highlighted the crucial role played by ADFD in supporting development in various key sectors including education. He pointed out that the UAE government grant contributed to the establishment of the new faculty in line with the best international standards. He also confirmed that the building includes medical laboratories equipped with the latest equipment for all specialties.

Over the past few years, ADFD has carried out similar projects at several other universities including the Jordan University of Science and Technology, and the Hashemite University in Jordan.

In May 2017, Yarmouk University celebrated the opening of a new building for the Faculty of Law, funded by ADFD. The project was valued at AED11.66 million.

Since its inception in 1971, ADFD has funded thousands of development projects worth approximately AED83 billion in 88 beneficiary countries. Mandated to implement Abu Dhabi government’s development programme policies, the Fund provides concessionary loans, manages Abu Dhabi government grants and injects direct long-term investments with the aim of driving economic development in partner countries.