Gov’t seeks consensus over 2025 economic vision

DEAD SEA – Hundreds of stakeholders gathered at the Dead Sea on Saturday to discuss remedies for Jordan's economic woes and strategies to develop economic performance over the next 10 years. 

The first national conference for the 2025 economic vision was inaugurated by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, who said the blueprint should identify strategies to boost the competitiveness of the Kingdom's economy and to achieve a more efficient, self-reliant economy based on productivity. 

Ensour stressed the government's commitment to implementing the outcome of the final version of the plan, set for completion before the end of the year, adding that a special unit at the Prime Ministry will be in charge of monitoring the implementation of recommendations and measures included in the blueprint.

Periodic reports on achievements and setbacks will be available for lawmakers and the media, the premier said.   

Government officials, lawmakers, representatives from the private sector and civil society organisations constituted the majority of participants at the conference, which was also attended by economists and academics. 

“We live in a turbulent region that poses huge challenges on us but should never hold us back from progressing,” Ensour said in his speech, citing energy, water scarcity, lack of investments in the transportation sector, poverty, unemployment and the development gap between Amman and other governorates as Jordan’s most pressing economic and social woes. 

Ensour said the government is pinning hopes on the new investment law to ease business restrictions and attract more investments, highlighting the need for plans that can speed up growth rates to create jobs for Jordanians and achieve social stability. 

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Ibrahim Saif indicated that the main objective of the conference is to enable participants to discuss the outcome of the work of the 16 sector committees that outlined challenges and recommendations. 

The conference sought to achieve national consensus on the seven pillars of the economic vision, which include developing human resources, social development, financial policies, trade and industry, business and investment environment, infrastructure decentralisation and community development and legislation and justice. 

Saif said that although Jordan has achieved satisfactory growth rates, it has not reduced unemployment as desired. He stressed the importance of resolving this issue and the need to identify sectors that create jobs for Jordanians. 

The volume of the labour force in Jordan is around 1.4 million but economic contribution is still low, with 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the job opportunities created every year going to non-Jordanians. 

During the day-long gathering, participants engaged in separate sessions on each pillar and reviewed the recommendations prepared by the panels, which have spent more than four months producing reports on challenges and solutions.

Recommendations reached during the intensive sessions will be announced by Saif within two days, according to a planning ministry official.