Rabadi announces strategy to prepare 2021-2023 Executive Development Plan

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Wissam Rabadi, on Thursday headed the first virtual coordination committee meeting tasked with preparing Jordan’s 2021-2023 Executive Development Plan (EDP) and a midterm review of Jordan’s Vision 2025. 

The planning minister reiterated the importance of having a development plan that would help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Planning Ministry statement. 

He said that this would be conducted through a review of national goals, indicators and targets outlined in Jordan’s Vision 2025, as well as a reprioritising of national plans for sectors and institutions that are in line with these goals and indicators, the statement said. 

Rabadi added that reviving the economy requires a focus on growth and employment. He also stated that it is important to use resources effectively and take advantage of the opportunities that have come out of the crisis and increase the competitiveness of the Jordanian economy.

He referred to His Majesty King Abdullah’s address during the sustainable impact summit and how the pandemic has pushed Jordan to invest, in partnership with the private sector, in its agricultural, ICT, medical and pharmaceutical sectors.

He also highlighted Jordan’s readiness to build on its competitive advantage in these sectors as a hub that the region can benefit from to respond to future challenges. 

The minister indicated that the plan will be prepared in accordance with international best practices that require a participatory approach with all relevant institutions, and clear indicators with national level targeting, read the statement.

He said that the plan will focus on sector strategies and fiscal reforms and that it will also take into consideration existing government projects including the Public Investment Management programme, the Reform Matrix, and Public-Private Partnership (PPP), which will have a positive impact on future socio-economic planning, prioritising objectives and allocating financial resources for these priorities. 

Rabadi said that the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 will be integrated into national priorities as part of Jordan’s roadmap for the future. He also stated that Jordan will continue to channel capital investments towards achieving sustainable development in a manner that also ensures financing for national plans. 

He indicated that the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation will also simultaneously work on Jordan’s Response Plan for the Syria Crisis with a focus on the development needs that have resulted from the refugee crisis and the impact that the crisis has had on various sectors. 

In turn, the Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation Mohammad Al Adaileh presented a work plan for the midterm review of Jordan’s Vision 2025 and Jordan’s 2021-2023 Executive Development Plan (EDP) with detailed procedures and a fixed timeline. 

Adaileh underscored the importance of a participatory approach and explained how this will be implemented through 17 sector-based teams that bring together representatives from ministers and government institutions, as well as civil society and the private sector under the supervision of an EDP Coordination Committee that is linked to a Steering Committee headed by the prime minister. 

He also indicated that the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation will provide the sector and technical teams with resources and technical plans they need. He said that the ministry will be nominating personnel and teams in order to provide support and enhance communication between committees. 

Adaileh also stated that the ministry will be providing a written guide on the mechanism that will be used to develop the 2021-2023 Executive Development Plan. 

The Cabinet of Ministers recently mandated the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation with a midterm review of Jordan’s Vision 2025 and preparing Jordan’s 2021-2023 Executive Development Plan (EDP) using a participatory approach with all relevant government stakeholders and partners, the statement said.

This decision is part of national efforts that target a comprehensive national medium- and long-term development plan that brings together all existing plans and programmes in a unified framework that focuses on achieving national goals from Jordan’s 2025 vision. The coordinating committee comprises secretary generals of all line ministries as well as heads of government institutions. 

The Jordan 2025 vision was developed in line with His Majesty King Abdullah’s directives to the government to develop a more equitable economic and social framework that promotes equal opportunities.

It was launched in 2015 and its outputs are being implemented through medium-term executive plans. The first executive was developed for 2016-2018 and was extended to cover 2019. The EDP coordination committee consists of secretary generals of line ministries as well as heads of government institutions, concluded the statement.