'Gov’t implements 31 additional reform measures as part of Strengthening Reform Management Project’

AMMAN — The government has implemented 31 additional reform measures over the past six months as part of the "Strengthening Reform Management Project”, initiated in cooperation with the World Bank to coordinate and monitor a reform matrix announced by the government.

These newly accomplished activities have elevated the project’s completion rate to 66 per cent, with women constituting 25 per cent of the beneficiaries, aligning with the reform matrix unveiled at the “London Initiative” conference in 2019, according to Al Mamlaka TV.

The World Bank has confirmed that the total count of completed reform measures has now escalated to 263, leaving 140 reforms yet to be accomplished within the reform matrix. Between January and July 2023, 19 reforms were finalised in the updated reform matrix, cumulating to a total of 80 reforms. Simultaneously, the sub-indicator tracking women-centric reforms reached 7, with a cumulative total of 20.

In September 2019, the World Bank sanctioned financing for the $6.5-million project under a multi-donor trust fund, backed by the governments of the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Canada. It also approved an additional financing of $9.3 million for the “Strengthening Reform Management Project in Jordan”.

By the end of February, the World Bank disbursements for project financing amounted to $6.4 million out of a total of $15.8 million, marking a disbursement rate of 41 per cent. The Bank anticipates an increase in its disbursements for the programme in 2024.

The World Bank also affirmed that Jordan has utilised the programme to fortify policies, frameworks, and public procurement procedures that will be implemented by CEOs and other directors to achieve efficient procurement. 

The Procurement Policy Committee has also greenlit the implementation of the Jordanian Electronic Procurement System, currently in use by 23 government institutions, Al Mamlaka TV reported. 

According to the bank’s assessment report, “significant progress” has been made in public investment management reforms and public-private partnerships. 

In previous statements, the World Bank disclosed that the additional funding included $1.5 million to bolster public-private partnership projects and $2 million to support reforms related to public procurement. 

Recommendations have also been made to streamline the project design by reducing the number of components from 3 to 2, with one component financing the Reform Secretariat and another financing the Reform Support Fund.