Kingdom ranks first in region for budget transparency — survey

AMMAN — Jordan ranked 32nd among 120 countries on the 2021 Open Budget Survey’s (OBS) transparency score.

Launched on Tuesday by Partners-Jordan (PJ) during a press briefing, the survey assessed and examined the current state of budget accountability and how it has changed over time, as well as public opportunities to engage in various stages of the budget process.

The survey centres on three main axes: Transparency, public participation and budget oversight, said Reem Badran, Jordanian economist and a former MP, during the press briefing. 

She pointed out that “the survey seeks to promote citizens’ political participation…and foster economic development”.

Established in 2005, PJ is a Jordanian non-profit committed to advancing civil society, promoting mediation, conflict management and a culture of change.

The Kingdom scored 61 out of 100 points in the transparency section, thereby surpassing the global average, which is 45 out of 100, according to the survey that indicated that a transparency score of 61 or above shows that a country has published enough material supporting “informed public debate on the budget” and that it has provided substantial budget information.

The survey’s transparency section measures public access to information on the way the central government raises and spends public resources.

Comparing budget transparency in Jordan with other countries in the region, the Kingdom ranked first, followed by Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom has a budget oversight score of four out of 100, dropping to the fourth place regionally, the survey showed.

Further, Jordan received a budget oversight of 39 out of 100. The OBS examines the role legislatures and supreme audit institutions play in the budget process and to which extent they provide oversight.

First launched in 2006, the OBS is part of the International Budget Partnership’s Open Budget Initiative, a global research and advocacy programme, promoting public access to budget information and the adoption of inclusive budget systems, according to the PJ website.

The OBS is “the world’s only independent, comparative and fact-based research instrument” that uses internationally accepted criteria to assess public access to central government budget information, the website added.

The survey concluded with recommendations, such as allowing any member of the public or any civil society organisation to testify during parliament hearings on the budget proposal prior to its approval, in addition to establishing formal mechanisms for the public to assist in developing its audit programme and contribute in relevant audit investigations.

To improve its budget transparency, Jordan must publish mid-year review online in a timely manner and improve the inclusiveness of the pre-budget statement, the survey recommended.

In the budget oversight focal area, the survey recommended having audit processes reviewed by an independent agency.