Private sector a strategic partner — Labour minister

AMMAN — Minister of Industry, Trade, Supply and Labour Yousef Shamali stressed the government's readiness to address the challenges facing the commerce and service sectors in the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During his meeting with the chairman and members of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Shamali highlighted the private sector’s role as a strategic partner to support the public sector, which contributes to 70 per cent of Jordan’s GDP. 

The roadmap outlined by His Majesty King Abdullah to modernise the political system, which has resulted in new constitutional amendments, the new parties and elections law and the launch of the Economic Modernisation Vision, aims to tackle unemployment by employing one million Jordanians within 10 years at a rate of 100,000 people annually, Shamali said.

Shamali said that starting next week, he will visit two governorates every Saturday to oversee the provision of services and to meet commercial and industrial sector representatives.

A study to improve the work conditions of expatriate workers is currently being conducted in order to allow cross-sector employee movement and address abuses, he said, adding that the study will be referred to the chambers of commerce soon for consultation.

Shamali pointed out that 92 per cent of the Kingdom's imports are not subject to customs duties, as they arrive from countries that have trade agreements with Jordan.

Chairman of Amman and Jordan Chambers of Commerce Khalil Hajj Tawfiq lauded the government's participation in the joint Jordanian-Bahraini Higher Committee meeting last week, which discussed expanding areas of cooperation between the two countries.

He also stressed the importance of forming specialised committees to address the challenges facing the sector.

Hajj Tawfiq also said that the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war, high oil prices and bank interest still cast a shadow on the commerce and service sectors, indicating that the Jordan Chamber of Commerce will hold a series of periodic meetings with officials to overcome challenges. 

The Economic Modernisation Vision must be implemented by all, he stressed, as reducing the high unemployment rate is a national duty for all public and private sector institutions.

The members of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, in turn, focused on a number of issues, foremost of which is the importance of excluding the commerce and service sectors from the decision to stop recruiting expatriate workers, in addition to finding alternatives to high interest rates and providing liquidity to stimulate markets.

They also called for reducing fees and taxes on electrical appliances, activating the Jordanian-Syrian agreement, monitoring cement prices and bolstering vocational training offices.

They also stressed the need to reconsider social security deduction rates and operational costs, and to facilitate the use of solar energy.