20 SMEs to get a boost from JEDCO exports programme

AMMAN — The Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) on Wednesday signed agreements with 20 small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that joined the “Enhancing Service SMEs for Export” programme.

The corporation launched the programme in early 2019 to upgrade the administrative capabilities and capacities of SMEs at a total cost of JD500,000, according to a JEDCO statement. 

JEDCO’s CEO Bashar Al Zoubi and representatives of enterprises signed the agreements.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tariq Hammouri in his speech during the signing ceremony said that macroeconomic performance indicators during the first eight months of this year witnessed improvement, with an increase in exports by 6 per cent and a decrease in the trade deficit by 12.3 per cent, according to the statement.

He also added that increasing exports is one of the government’s priorities, stressing that technical support and administrative assistance programmes have achieved positive results after undergoing evaluation.

The “Enhancing Service SMEs for Export” programme targets SMEs working in the engineering and architectural services sector or the IT sector in all the governorates that have high export readiness and have witnessed export activity over one of the past three years.

Zoubi stressed that this programme is a “leading governmental project” to support service SMEs’ exports, noting that the programme will support 20 service SMEs operating within the targeted sectors to enter new markets, the statement said.

The CEO said that the programme aims at increasing and diversifying the Jordanian services sector through supporting the export readiness of SMEs and their efforts towards internationalisation.

It also aims to create new jobs in addition to improving the opportunities for the SMEs’ sustainability and growth, the statement said.

According to the preliminary data of the selected companies, the programme will contribute in creating 176 job opportunities and increase the value of exports by JD6.1 million, according to the statement.

Zoubi pointed out that these companies target German, Austrian, Iraqi, Qatari, UAE, Saudi and Egyptian markets.

JEDCO received applications from 40 companies for the programme  and selected 20 of them: Seven in the engineering sector and 13 in the IT sector.

JEDCO is the national umbrella for economic enterprise development in Jordan, inclusive of startups and entrepreneurship.  JEDCO supports the development of these enterprises and strengthens their competitiveness, in addition to facilitating access to financing. It also seeks to promote and enable policies that create a more suitable environment for their growth, the statement said.