King attends launch of Economic Modernisation Vision

DEAD SEA — His Majesty King Abdullah, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, on Monday attended the launch of the Economic Modernisation Vision, which will be a national roadmap across governments.

The vision, which will be implemented in three phases over 10 years, includes 366 initiatives in various sectors, as part of eight national economic growth drivers that focus on unleashing Jordan’s full potential to achieve comprehensive sustainable growth and generate job opportunities, according to a Royal Court statement.

The vision, which aims to meet the expected demand for one million jobs for Jordanians in the next decade, identifies drivers for employment and economic growth, which will require JD41 million in investments and financing throughout the upcoming decade, the majority of which is expected to come from the private sector, including foreign direct investment and public-private partnership projects.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre at the Dead Sea, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said the Economic Modernisation Vision is a national project that the government will adopt and implement.

The prime minister said the government will also present to Parliament, in its next session, a draft law that regulates the investment environment, adding that the outcomes of the committee to modernise the public sector will be ready this month.

The launch event featured a screening of two videos depicting the participatory national effort upon which the vision was built over several months, starting from sessions held by the Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF) and continuing at the National Economic Workshop held at the Royal Hashemite Court upon Royal directives.

The videos also covered the vision’s eight economic growth drivers: High-Value Industries, Future Services, Destination Jordan, Smart Jordan, Sustainable Jordan, Vibrant Jordan, Green Jordan, and Invest Jordan.

The vision highlights innovation and entrepreneurship as key to achieving development and bolstering efficiency and productivity, and stresses the importance of stepping up cooperation with Jordan’s development partners in a more effective manner to direct their expertise and resources towards promising fields.

The vision, in line with comprehensive national modernisation efforts across the political, economic, and administrative tracks, aims to improve Jordan’s standing on global economic indices and enhance the standard of living for Jordanians.

The vision’s two main pillars focus on unleashing Jordan’s economic potential to achieve comprehensive sustainable growth, and improving the quality and standard of living for all Jordanians, by enhancing various services such as education, healthcare, transport and infrastructure.

The launch ceremony also included a panel discussion that featured JSF Chairman Abdul Ilah Khatib, Manaseer Group Chairman Ziad Manaseer, Founding Chairman and Managing Director of Classic Fashion Apparel Industry Sanal Kumar, and Wa'ed Al Hawamdeh, country director at Webhelp Jordan.

The session covered the importance of public-private partnerships in implementing the vision and expanding investments in food security, the textile industry, ICT and new industries, and the impact of these investments on creating job opportunities and increasing exports.

Senior officials and officers, members of Parliament, and diplomats attended the ceremony.

Earlier, Crown Prince Hussein attended one of the panel discussions that took place ahead of the launch of the Economic Modernisation Vision, and covered its eight growth drivers.

Khasawneh said that the government is working to achieve the goals and outcomes of the Economic Modernisation Vision through partnerships with the private sector.

“The government is committed to setting executive frameworks for the vision,” he said during his speech.

According to the prime minister, Jordan has an infrastructure that is close to that of developed countries.

“Jordan has entered the bicentennial with a surplus of human capabilities which not only built the Kingdom, but also built and contributed to many neighbouring countries,” he added.

Khasawneh emphasised targeting foreign investment in Jordan, and empowering the national investors and entrepreneurs as well creating job opportunities.

He indicated that the government "will finance within the limits of what it is currently financing, as the vision was based on a figure that the government is committed to for 10 years, every year in its budget within the limits of the number that the Jordanian government spends today in its financial space to be able to reach this foundation."

“The government will do whatever is necessary despite the challenges facing Jordan. The plan and vision are feasible and it is everyone’s responsibility, whether the government or the private sector,” Khasawneh added.