LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced a donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Kingdom of Jordan arrived in Michigan. The shipment includes overalls, surgical masks and goggles. A shipment of N95 masks is expected to follow.
“I want to personally thank the Kingdom of Jordan for this generous donation of critical Personal Protective Equipment to ensure our frontline medical workers have the supplies they need to treat COVID-19,” Governor Whitmer said. “This donation will help our hospitals replenish depleted supplies of PPE as we continue to flatten the curve.”
In total, the Kingdom of Jordan is donating 650,000 surgical masks,10,000 medical overalls and 10,000 sets of eye goggles. In this challenging time, our global friendships and mutual cooperation remain vital components in combatting and eradicating this pandemic.
“We are proud to be able to provide this modest aid to the people of Michigan,” said Dina Kawar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Jordan to the United States. “Jordan is a regional leader in medical, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing sectors and these industries have moved swiftly to respond to the challenges of COVID-19. As His Majesty King Abdullah II remarked, these past couple of months have shown us that the best way to address this global pandemic is through enhanced cooperation and solidarity.”
Michigan and the Kingdom of Jordan share a longstanding relationship, bound by a strong cultural connection. The state is home to the largest concentration and the second highest population of Arab-Americans in the nation, with over 300,000 individuals, including Jordanian immigrants and those with Jordanian heritage, living in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Ingham counties.
Since 2011, Michigan has continued to strengthen their business ties to the Kingdom of Jordan by establishing notable exports in machine tools and equipment as well as defense, medical devices, and hardwoods sectors. As the state moves forward in recovery from COVID-19, we look to continue our work in creating economic opportunity for the citizens of Michigan and the Kingdom of Jordan.