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AMMAN — President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) Fathi Jaghbir affirmed on Saturday that the manufacturing industries form the "backbone" of the Kingdom's industrial sector, with its total output reaching around $21 billion annually, while intermediate consumption stands at some $11.6 billion.
Jaghbir said, "This generates an added value estimated at $9.3 billion annually, representing 45 per cent of the total gross output." the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
He noted that this ratio reflects the significant economic impact of the manufacturing sector in generating income and wealth within the national economy.
Jaghbir added that value-added manufacturing is a key driver of sustainable economic growth, due to its role in transforming raw materials into products with higher economic value, which directly translates into increased productivity, job creation, enhanced exports and a higher contribution of the industrial sector to the gross domestic production (GDP).
Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank Anna Bjerde highlighted, during her visit to the Kingdom, the importance of value-added manufacturing as an industry that creates local jobs and supports economic growth.
Jaghbir said the manufacturing sector is characterised by its high capacity for job creation compared to many other economic activities.
The sector employs around 254,000 workers distributed across nearly 18,000 industrial establishments in various governorates, making it one of the largest employment-generating sectors supporting social and economic stability.
President emphasised that the importance of high value-added manufacturing is particularly evident in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, engineering, leather and garment industries.
These sectors serve as key growth drivers under the Economic Modernisation Vision, given their ability to achieve high added value, boost the competitiveness of the national economy, increase exports, attract quality investments, and create sustainable jobs for Jordanians.
He pointed out the importance of aligning education and technical and vocational training outcomes with industrial needs, developing local value chains, and incentivising projects aimed at import and export promotion.
It also includes improving the business environment, lowering production, energy and financing costs, and maximising the utilisation of trade agreements enjoyed by Jordan.
The Kingdom ranked first in the Arab world and 27th globally in terms of the manufacturing sector's contribution to GDP, according to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).
This reflects the maturity of the national production base and the depth of industrial value chains compared to many economies that rely on low value-added primary production.
According to the JCI, the industrial sector's added value reached JD8.6 billion in 2025, compared to JD4.4 billion in 2010, marking a cumulative increase of over 94 per cent and an annual growth rate of nearly 5 per cent over the past decade, Petra reported.
