Economic council reviews ICT sector challenges

AMMAN — The connection of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector with other sectors is vital to keep pace with global developments and maintain its employment competitiveness, mainly in employing youth, President of the Economic and Social Council (ESC) Mousa Shteiwi said recently.

Shteiwi's remarks came during discussions over the condition of the ICT sector, as part of the Status of the Country Report 2021, according to an ESC statement, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Saturday.

Shteiwi, during the in-person and virtual discussions, said that the ICT sector faces challenges related to the lack of flexibility in tender laws, investment difficulties and ICT services leaving for Gulf markets, due to the “law instability”. 

Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh said that the ministry's infrastructure can undergo digital transportation with "full flexibility", stressing the importance of offering digital services to citizens through "expanded and high-quality" procedures.

He added that the ministry faces challenges related to the “complexity” of institutional procedures and laws concerned with digital transformation, noting that the ministry has completed several laws in the digital transformation field.

Meanwhile, CEO of the Innovative, Startups and SMEs Fund Laith Al Qasem called for using the ICT to help economic sectors realise digital development and growth. 

Other event participants stressed the importance of partnership between the public and private sectors in digital transformation to reach a clear strategy. 

They also called for curricula and educational outcomes to match the labour market’s requirements at the local and international levels, moving to electronic digitalisation while developing curricula for the academic, technical and vocational streams, and providing the necessary frequencies for the 5G network and starting its operations as soon as possible.