Aiming to create 100,000 new jobs for Jordanians and Syrian refugees in the next five years, the World Bank’s Board of Directors has agreed to offer Jordan US$100 million in financing  at rates usually reserved for the poorest countries, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim announced today.

The World Bank’s Board extended the highly unusual financing offer because of the extraordinarily difficult situation facing both the refugees and their Jordanian hosts. A partnership among the Jordanian government, donor countries and development actors will use the financing to develop and strengthen existing special economic zones to attract international and domestic investments. Additional details of the job-creation plans will be announced in coming months.