Jordan word

Jordan and the World Bank signed a grant agreement worth $6.5 million to finance the project to strengthen reform management in Jordan, which was launched in 2019 to coordinate and follow up on a reform matrix that the government announced its commitment to at the London Initiative conference for the same year.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the government by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Al-Shraideh, and on behalf of the World Bank, the Regional Director of the Mashreq Department at the Bank, Saroj Kumar Jha.

The World Bank approved financing the project, amounting to $6.5 million, in September 2019, and it consists of 3 pillars; The first is to support management reform (at a cost of $3.80 million), the second to strengthen the Public Investments Management Framework – PPP: (at a cost of $2.20 million), and the third to strengthen the public procurement framework and function: (at a cost of $0.50 million).

To ensure the implementation of the reform matrix, appropriate follow-up and effective coordination, the World Bank established a specialized reform “secretarial unit” in the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, to coordinate and follow up on the reform matrix with development partners.

As part of the FY21 support package, the World Bank will work with the government to support it in continuing to advance Jordan’s reform agenda. Whereas, the $500 million results-oriented program “Inclusive, Transparent and Responsive Investments” aims to support the implementation of critical reforms, which include promoting an inclusive and transparent regulatory environment for business in the public and private sectors, strengthening the business environment and enhancing competitiveness to attract new investment. tourism development, and female participation in the workforce.

It also aims to encourage green investments, which have been initiated within the framework of the matrix of reforms that will help Jordan take advantage of post-pandemic recovery opportunities. By enhancing transparency in consultative processes and increasing access to and use of statistical and administrative data, the program will also help strengthen Jordan’s mechanism for implementing effective new policies and investments.

The government, at the London conference in February 2019, announced its commitment to its economic reform and growth plan within a 5-year reform matrix (2018-2022), based on a set of political and structural reforms related to the most important economic policy issues facing Jordan.

The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation confirmed, in previous statements to “The Kingdom,” that “Jordan has accomplished 131 reforms out of a total of 338 reforms it pledged in 2018 to present at the London Initiative conference.”

The ministry stated, “Since starting work on reforms in 2018 until July 2020, 116 out of 254 reforms identified in the matrix were completed, after which the Economic Reforms Implementation Support Unit worked on reviewing the matrix, with the aim of updating it in line with the changes resulting from the Corona pandemic.” and the government’s indicative executive program, while maintaining the overall objective of the reform matrix.

“As a result, two additional axes were added to the matrix of reforms, which are the axis of public sector efficiency and governance, and the axis of tourism due to their highest priority. Accordingly, the number of the new matrix axes reached 11, with a total of 338 reforms (compared to 254). 2022 to 2024,” according to the ministry.

The government and the World Bank Group see recovery efforts as an opportunity to pursue reforms aimed at promoting investment-led growth and job creation; These are reforms that can bring tangible results to citizens and the private sector.

Since Jordan launched the Jordan Reforms Matrix, progress has been made on key reforms, for example: the adoption of the unified e-procurement system for government procurement; issuing a new public-private partnership law; laws on insolvency and secured transactions; approval of the climate change regime and regulations for the control and inspection of economic establishments; initiating licensing reform; and expanding the social protection system in Jordan.