New ministries to unlock prospects of digital economy — minister

AMMAN — The inception of the ministries of local administration and digital economy and entrepreneurship came as a response to recent developments and goals directly pertaining to the needs of the homeland and citizens, Justice Minister Bassam Talhouni said on Friday.

In remarks to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the minister explained that it is normal to establish new ministries to meet the nation’s developmental needs in a constantly changing world.

In this phase, ministers will be delegated with the tasks and duties of ministers as mentioned in the ICT and municipalities laws, to avoid legislative vacuums, the minister said.

The government will proceed with the issuance of the necessary by-laws as stipulated in Article 3 of the Public Administration Law, in conformity with the Constitution, Talhouni underlined.

The new ministers, under the upcoming by-laws, will be tasked with the duties of the ministries of municipalities and ICT, as stipulated in their respective laws, until the necessary amendments are concluded, he said.

Responding to Petra’s question, Talhouni highlighted that amendments to the municipalities and ICT laws will be presented and voted on in the next ordinary or extraordinary parliamentary session.

The digital economy is one of the largest promising sectors in the world and tapping its potential requires efforts to tackle a number of outstanding issues, the minister underscored.

Chief among those issues, as Talhouni elaborated, are the ICT and digital infrastructure, skills and financial services.

Addressing the challenges in these fields requires amending some ministerial responsibilities and drawing plans to accord with the sought digital transformation, he confirmed.

As for the Local Administration Ministry, it will encompass a wide spectrum of responsibilities aligning with Jordan’s developmental goals in recent years, the minister said.

Among these responsibilities is the establishment of the governorate and elected councils’ developmental roles, in order to further the Kingdom’s overall strategies, Petra concluded.