JCC to play role as ‘umbrella for largest economic sectors’ in EMV

AMMAN — Head of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Khalil Haj Tawfiq on Sunday said that the JCC will play a major role in achieving the goals of the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV). 

In an interview with  the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Hajj Tawfiq stressed that the commercial sector needs to be involved in the process of amending legislation, prior to referring drafts to the Lower House.

He described the JCC as “the umbrella for the largest economic sector in the Kingdom”, including 16 chambers of commerce in all governorates and representing 120,000 companies and institutions in the Kingdom.

Hajj Tawfiq announced the launch of an initiative targeting Jordanian and Arab investors abroad, which aims to identify challenges hindering investment in the Kingdom. Through the initiative, governmental institutions and Lower House members, in coordination with Jordanian embassies, would study the push factors leading Jordanian and Arab investors to leave the Kingdom. Investors will be briefed on the investment environment law as well as the Economic Modernisation Vision, he added. 

Thanks to JCC efforts, the commercial, service and agricultural sectors are more unified, and are witnessing a "new era”, he said, noting that these sectors contribute to approximately 70 per cent of Jordan’s GDP.

Hajj Tawfiq highlighted the importance of the partnership between public and private sectors, in implementation of Royal directives, to improve the economic situation and living standards of citizens. He stressed that the partnership between all sectors needs to be “institutionalised and framed”. Overcoming bureaucracy, for example, will not take place without the presence of the government as a main partner, and amending legislation requires partnership with the National Assembly. Fighting corruption will need the partnership of all, he said.

He indicated that the application of "economic diplomacy", called for by His Majesty, requires a state of economic alert for the Kingdom's embassies abroad to attract investments, supported by the private sector and government officials.

Jordan is moving in the right direction in the reform process with its political, economic and administrative tracks, noting that there is “a real will” in the Jordanian state to move forward with these reforms, but this will must be full and undivided at various official levels and within the private sector, he said.

Hajj Tawfiq stressed that comprehensive reform is a national interest, and it is “the only way” through the economic challenges facing various sectors, noting that the Kingdom has many strengths that can overcome challenges and turn them into real opportunities.

On the JCC’s current priorities, Haj Tawfiq said that the foremost issue is amending landlord and tenant laws and laws associated with the Bar Association. Other priorities include finding alternatives to debtor imprisonment, providing guarantees for debts and reviewing the tax burden. 

He also pointed to the development of a plan to upgrade the services of the Chamber of Commerce, and the formation of sectoral councils and committees in order to individually evaluate each sector and develop appropriate solutions for any challenges that are discussed.

The JCC intends to set a plan to support the chambers of commerce in each governorate with the requirements to be a “true partner in development”, in addition to protecting the chamber’s affiliates and training and employing job seekers in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour through the National Employment Programme.

Hajj Tawfiq, who also heads the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC), stressed the need to build a national data bank that is accessible and continuously updated to provide statistics and studies to investors, as a contribution to accelerating decision-making for business owners. 

"This year will witness the establishment of many economic events and meetings, including organising an economic conference at a large level to promote the existing investment opportunities and projects in the Kingdom, and coordinate with the Ministry of Investment to reach a new investment map," he added.

He stressed the existence of a “clear vision” to transform the chambers of commerce in all governorates into "smart chambers" to upgrade the level of services and link them to a unified database that facilitates the work of the commercial, service and agricultural sectors.

The JCC will harness all its capabilities and connections with the major Arab and foreign chambers of commerce, and utilise the Kingdom’s “great political position” to attract investments and increase exports, indicating that unifying the private sector’s voice is a top interest for the country.

He added that Jordan possesses many elements that make it a regional centre for reexports and food security, and to restore its logistical role in the region by facilitating transit operations, in addition to establishing Jordanian commercial centres abroad to promote the service, trade and agricultural sectors, noting that Jordan's trade will establish the first commercial centre in Iraq in the near future.

The head of the chamber expressed his hope that the Kingdom would be a unified economic zone in terms of taxes and customs, which would support investment, the business environment and trade in the country.

The commercial sector will work to create job opportunities for young people in countries that have strong trade relations with Jordan, in addition to strengthening the partnership with the Vocational Training Corporation to provide training opportunities for local manpower for future jobs, he said.