Planning, Finance ministries launch Social Expenditure Monitor developed by ESCWA

AMMAN — The Planning Ministry and the Finance Ministry on Thursday launched the Social Expenditure Monitor for Jordan, developed by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

The tool aims to support macro-fiscal policies to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a Planning Ministry statement.

Jordan is considered the first country in the Arab region to adopt this tool, which will contribute to improving the monitoring and managing of social expenditure and will raise the efficiency of the Kingdom’s general budget.

Planning Minister Nasser Shraideh extended thanks to ESCWA Undersecretary-General Rola Dashti for the services provided by the commission, stressing the importance of the technical support of the member states in expediting economic and social development to achieve the SDGs.

He also voiced Jordan's aspiration to cooperate with ESCWA in areas of economic and social priority.

Finance Ministry Secretary General Abdul Hakim Shibli indicated that this tool assesses the strengths and weaknesses in general budget and fiscal policy preparation, noting the importance of expanding the tool’s scope to evaluate government expenditures in the future.

Dashti said that the Social Expenditure Monitor is the first of its kind in the region, adding that ESCWA will continue to cooperate with the Jordanian government in a number of areas that serve development priorities.

Launching the tool will provide an abundance of data related to public expenditures on social services, which coincides with preparing the government's executive programme for the coming three years.

The tool also measures the impact of these social expenditures on economic development, assisting decision makers in achieving the objectives of the Kingdom’s fiscal policy.