Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN347
2009-02-05 06:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
OPIC Visit Energizes Banks Supporting Jordan's Housing and
how-toVZCZCXYZ0012 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHAM #0347 0360616 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 050616Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4398 INFO RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3897 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 5335 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1514 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS AMMAN 000347
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB AND NEA/ELA
STATE PASS OPIC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV OPIC JO
SUBJECT: OPIC Visit Energizes Banks Supporting Jordan's Housing and
Mortgage Initiative
Ref: A) AMMAN 137
B) AMMAN 136
C) 08 AMMAN 2316
UNCLAS AMMAN 000347
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB AND NEA/ELA
STATE PASS OPIC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV OPIC JO
SUBJECT: OPIC Visit Energizes Banks Supporting Jordan's Housing and
Mortgage Initiative
Ref: A) AMMAN 137
B) AMMAN 136
C) 08 AMMAN 2316
1. (SBU) OPIC Vice President Robert Drumheller, in order to
invigorate stalled negotiations, discussed proposed OPIC housing
loans with senior government officials and participating Jordanian
banks during a January 25-30 visit. The $250 million in loans would
allow three local banks to make 25-year mortgages to low-income
Jordanians at fixed, below-market rates as part of a royal housing
initiative (ref C). Chief of the Royal Court Nasser Lozi reiterated
his commitment to the housing and OPIC loan programs and promised
the government's support in encouraging a speedy conclusion to the
negotiations, which OPIC would like to finalize by March 6, 2009.
2. (SBU) While the housing initiative originally planned for the
construction of 20,000 new homes annually, Director General of the
Housing and Urban Development Corporation Sana Mihyair estimated
that just 400 have been completed since the program launched in
August 2008. She projected that only 4,500 homes would be
constructed in 2009. Minister of Public Works and Housing Engineer
Sahel Majali said that demand for the housing program is high and
ideally the housing and loan programs could provide mortgages with
average monthly payments of $174 for civil servants with monthly
incomes near $450. He said the draft Landlords and Tenants Law,
which allows for rental price increases, was just sent to parliament
and makes the housing program even more necessary (ref A).
3. (SBU) Central Bank of Jordan Deputy Governor Kholoud Saqqaf told
the OPIC delegation that the protracted bank negotiations reflect
the conservative philosophy of the banks (ref B). Arab Bank Credit
Manager Ahmed Al Halim summarized the banks' concerns about the OPIC
loan by explaining that both the 25-year length and the
international loan terms are unique in Jordan. He explained that
while the banks want to make the deal happen, they do not want the
loan terms to excessively restrict the banks' abilities to operate
during the extended period.
4. (SBU) Saqqaf said that all Jordanian banks, including the three
participant banks, have slowed down their lending and have become
more selective since the start of the global credit crisis. She was
quick to point out that the banks remain quite liquid and their
credit condition has not deteriorated. Saqqaf added that Arab Bank,
the most conservative bank in Jordan and biggest of the three
participant banks, has become even more conservative in light of the
global financial crisis. Samir Tamimi, Senior Vice President of
Arab Bank's Global Credit Unit, explained that while it remains
"business as usual" for Arab Bank's long-term customers, the bank
has indeed become very cautious about lending to new customers due
to the worldwide credit crunch.
Housing Minister Proposes Another Approach
--------------
5. (SBU) Majali proposed to OPIC, that rather than having the banks
issue the mortgages, that his Ministry could receive the $250
million OPIC loan and issue mortgages. He added that because his
ministry does not need to make the 2.5% profit that the banks are
budgeting, the mortgages could be offered at a lower interest rate.
OPIC advised Majali that if he wanted to create a new
mortgage-lending entity that he should do so with International
Finance Corporation (IFC) involvement. OPIC said, however, that it
intends to continue with the current bank loan negotiations. Cairo
Amman Bank (CAB) General Manager Kamal Al Bakri criticized the
Minister's plan and pointed to the government's inability to collect
student loan payments from 24,000 borrowers as indicative of its
inability to act as a bank. He said the government recently hired
CAB to act as a collection agency after it cancelled the student
loan program.
6. (U) OPIC cleared this message.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
BEECROFT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB AND NEA/ELA
STATE PASS OPIC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV OPIC JO
SUBJECT: OPIC Visit Energizes Banks Supporting Jordan's Housing and
Mortgage Initiative
Ref: A) AMMAN 137
B) AMMAN 136
C) 08 AMMAN 2316
1. (SBU) OPIC Vice President Robert Drumheller, in order to
invigorate stalled negotiations, discussed proposed OPIC housing
loans with senior government officials and participating Jordanian
banks during a January 25-30 visit. The $250 million in loans would
allow three local banks to make 25-year mortgages to low-income
Jordanians at fixed, below-market rates as part of a royal housing
initiative (ref C). Chief of the Royal Court Nasser Lozi reiterated
his commitment to the housing and OPIC loan programs and promised
the government's support in encouraging a speedy conclusion to the
negotiations, which OPIC would like to finalize by March 6, 2009.
2. (SBU) While the housing initiative originally planned for the
construction of 20,000 new homes annually, Director General of the
Housing and Urban Development Corporation Sana Mihyair estimated
that just 400 have been completed since the program launched in
August 2008. She projected that only 4,500 homes would be
constructed in 2009. Minister of Public Works and Housing Engineer
Sahel Majali said that demand for the housing program is high and
ideally the housing and loan programs could provide mortgages with
average monthly payments of $174 for civil servants with monthly
incomes near $450. He said the draft Landlords and Tenants Law,
which allows for rental price increases, was just sent to parliament
and makes the housing program even more necessary (ref A).
3. (SBU) Central Bank of Jordan Deputy Governor Kholoud Saqqaf told
the OPIC delegation that the protracted bank negotiations reflect
the conservative philosophy of the banks (ref B). Arab Bank Credit
Manager Ahmed Al Halim summarized the banks' concerns about the OPIC
loan by explaining that both the 25-year length and the
international loan terms are unique in Jordan. He explained that
while the banks want to make the deal happen, they do not want the
loan terms to excessively restrict the banks' abilities to operate
during the extended period.
4. (SBU) Saqqaf said that all Jordanian banks, including the three
participant banks, have slowed down their lending and have become
more selective since the start of the global credit crisis. She was
quick to point out that the banks remain quite liquid and their
credit condition has not deteriorated. Saqqaf added that Arab Bank,
the most conservative bank in Jordan and biggest of the three
participant banks, has become even more conservative in light of the
global financial crisis. Samir Tamimi, Senior Vice President of
Arab Bank's Global Credit Unit, explained that while it remains
"business as usual" for Arab Bank's long-term customers, the bank
has indeed become very cautious about lending to new customers due
to the worldwide credit crunch.
Housing Minister Proposes Another Approach
--------------
5. (SBU) Majali proposed to OPIC, that rather than having the banks
issue the mortgages, that his Ministry could receive the $250
million OPIC loan and issue mortgages. He added that because his
ministry does not need to make the 2.5% profit that the banks are
budgeting, the mortgages could be offered at a lower interest rate.
OPIC advised Majali that if he wanted to create a new
mortgage-lending entity that he should do so with International
Finance Corporation (IFC) involvement. OPIC said, however, that it
intends to continue with the current bank loan negotiations. Cairo
Amman Bank (CAB) General Manager Kamal Al Bakri criticized the
Minister's plan and pointed to the government's inability to collect
student loan payments from 24,000 borrowers as indicative of its
inability to act as a bank. He said the government recently hired
CAB to act as a collection agency after it cancelled the student
loan program.
6. (U) OPIC cleared this message.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
BEECROFT