On September 16, 2022, the United States and Jordan signed their fourth Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing U.S. foreign aid to Jordan. The first covered the years 2009-2014 and was worth $3.3 billion, the second for 2015-2017 was worth $3 billion, and the third for 2018-2022 was for $6.38 billion.

The latest MOU is a seven-year agreement (FY2023-FY2029) that commits the Administration to seek a total of $1.45 billion in annual economic and military aid for Jordan. When compared to the previous MOU, this fourth MOU is 13.7% higher annually and lasts for seven fiscal years instead of five. It represents the largest multi-year U.S. foreign assistance commitment ($10.15 billion over seven years) to the kingdom. Congress has appropriated between $1.5 billion and $1.65 billion in total annual aid to Jordan since FY2018.

The new MOU is subdivided into four baskets of funds, including $610 million in Economic Support Funds (ESF) for direct U.S. budget support for the Jordanian government—the most of any country worldwide; $400 million in Foreign Military Funds (FMF) for Jordanian Armed Forces to procure U.S. equipment; $350 million in ESF for USAID programming; and $75 million in “incentive” ESF to support Jordanian economic and public sector reforms.

Although the Jordanian media has described the new MOU as coming with “no strings attached” and the Biden Administration has been careful to discuss reforms stipulated in the new MOU as emanating from Jordan, the new agreement does call on Jordan to take specific steps with regard to its water sector and civil workforce. According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken:

The MOU will support key reforms conceived of, and led by, King Abdullah’s government focusing on improving the lives of Jordanians in tangible ways, reforms like improving essential public services, tackling the water crisis, which is being exacerbated by climate change, expanding economic opportunities so that everyone in Jordan, including women, under-served groups can reach their full potential.

The U.S. State Department estimates that, since large-scale U.S. aid to Syrian refugees began in FY2012, it has allocated $2.2 billion in humanitarian assistance from global accounts for programs in Jordan to meet the needs of Syrian refugees and, indirectly, to ease the burden on Jordan. U.S. humanitarian assistance is provided both as cash assistance to refugees and through programs to meet their basic needs, such as child health care, education, water, and sanitation.

In 1996, the United States granted Jordan Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status, a designation that, among other things, makes Jordan eligible to receive excess U.S. defense articles, training, and loans of equipment for cooperative research and development. In the past decade, the United States has provided $83.3 million (current $ value) in excess U.S. defense articles to Jordan, including three AH-1 Cobra Helicopters, 45 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), and M577A3 Tracked Command Post Carriers.

In December 2021, the United States Air Force, under C-130 Ramp-to-Ramp (R2R) transfer program, donated three C-130 transport aircraft to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. According to the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, “The transfer of the USAF C-130 aircraft boosts RJAF fixed wing tactical airlift capability by nearly 50% and saves RJAF approximately $30 million in equipment renovation costs.”

(In $USD Millions)

Year	Economic	Military	IMET*	Total
1996	7.2	200.0	1.2	207.4
1997	112.2	30.0	1.7	143.9
1998	151.2	51.6	1.6	204.4
1999	151.5	46.6	1.6	199.7
2000	150.0	76.6	1.6	228.2
2001	149.7	75.0	1.7	226.4
2002	150.0	75.0	2.0	227.0
2003	250.0	198.0	2.4	450.4
2004	248.5	204.8	3.2	456.5
2005	248.0	204.4	3.0	455.4
2006	250.0	206.0	3.0	459.0
2007	255.3	251.0	3.1	509.4
2008	561.4	248.3	2.9	912.6
2009	413.5	385.0	4.1	802.6
2010	463.0	350.0	3.8	816.8
2011	362.0	299.4	3.7	665.1
2012	460.0	300.0	3.7	763.7
2013	443.5	284.8	3.6	731.9
2014	700.0	300.0	3.5	733.5
2015	615.0	385.0	3.888	1003.8
2016 (est.)	812.35	450.0	3.8	1,266.55
2018^	1,082.4	425.0	4.01	1,525.01
2019^	1,082.4	425.0	3.99	1,524.99
2020^	1,082.40	425.0	4.0	1,525.0
2021^	1,122.40	425.0	4.0	1,650.0
2022#	1,203.40	425.0	1.95	1,650.05

* - Military Education & Training
^Jordan received $13.6 million for the Non-Proliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs.
#Jordan received $13.2 million for the Non-Proliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs, $2.5 million for the INCLE program, and $4 million for Global Health Programs.

Source: Jeremy M. Sharp, Jordan: Background and U.S. Relations, Congressional Research Service, (June 23, 2023).

Jordan: U.S. Foreign Aid