Jordan: Government committed to EMV goals, public-private partnerships — Minister
AMMAN — Minister of State for Economic Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh on Tuesday stressed that the government's decisions are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for Jordanians and fostering comprehensive economic growth.
Deputising for the prime minister at the National Dialogue Conference titled "The Economic Modernisation Vision: Partnership for Jordan's Future," Shehadeh affirmed the government's dedication to turning the goals of the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV) into tangible results, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
The conference, organised under the Nazaha Project with funding from the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and implemented by the Hayat Rased Centre and Rasheed for Transparency International, provided a platform for civil society and government representatives to engage in dialogue.
Shehadeh highlighted the government's efforts to exceed growth targets, noting that its policies prioritise quality of life, economic expansion, and sustainability.
He also announced that the government in June is scheduled to start workshops with the private sector and civil society to create a four-year action plan, aligned with the upcoming fiscal year's budget, featuring 'clear timelines and measurable goals.'
Acknowledging the private sector's 'vital' role in attracting foreign investment, Shehadeh stressed that economic growth depends on public-private partnerships, underscoring the sector's right to profit, access facilities, and contribute through taxation.
He also noted that the prime minister's visits to various governorates are part of a 'strategic' mechanism to assess and evaluate progress, following Royal instructions.
Director General of the Hayat Centre Amer Bani Amer highlighted the importance of positive dialogue between civil society and the government for sustainable economic development.
He referred to the centre's policy paper on enhancing civil society's role in the EMV as a way to support more effective participation in decision-making and implementation.
Spanish Ambassador to Jordan Miguel de Lucas González commended the 'strong' bilateral relations and collaborative initiatives, noting that Spain's development cooperation model prioritises civil society involvement, transparency and accountability.
Counsellor at the European Union Delegation to Jordan Adam Janssen reiterated the EU's 'long-standing' partnership with Jordan, describing civil society as the 'cornerstone' of democratic participation and social progress.
He said that the Nazaha Project represents a collaborative effort to improve social accountability and bridge the gap between citizens and the state, underscoring the importance of empowering civil society to influence policymaking and legislation.
The Hayat Rased Centre also presented a draft policy paper discussing civil society's role in implementing the EMV.
The paper, which was based on regional consultations, found that limited awareness among civil society groups has hindered their engagement with the EMV.
Participants identified key priorities, including addressing unemployment by promoting investment, simplifying administrative procedures, aligning education with labour market needs, supporting entrepreneurship and SMEs in underserved areas, ensuring tax fairness, and advancing major projects in energy and water sectors.
Civil society representatives also highlighted challenges such as 'weak' legislative and administrative stability, 'poor' coordination among stakeholders, rising public debt, inadequate financing, and a 'lack' of transparency, all of which have impeded effective implementation and 'eroded' public trust.
The paper recommended institutionalising civil society's participation in decision-making through planning committees, holding regular national and local dialogues, improving legal frameworks to empower civil society, and enhancing transparency through joint oversight bodies and public reporting.
It also called for enhancing internal governance in civil society organisations, improving communication with the government, and using advocacy tools such as public awareness campaigns and media engagement to promote shared development objectives.
© Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
2 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Britain's industrial strategy cuts green levy to lower energy bills
23 June 2025 16:01 LONDON (REUTERS)Britain's industrial strategy made public on Monday will reduce green levies, lowering energy bills for thousands of companies to try to make steel companies and other manufacturers more the strategy for the decade 2025-2035, the government plans to cut the bills of electricity-intensive industry by up to 25% from 2027, which it said could benefit more than 7,000 government has made boosting Britain's anaemic growth a priority. But lawmakers and business leaders had highlighted the high energy costs many companies face as an the United States, under President Donald Trump, has taken a lead in promoting domestic industry through protectionist tariffs and by tearing up potentially expensive environmental rules and charges, Britain and also the European Union have faced pressure to support their body Make UK had said the government should scrap climate levies imposed on response, the government has given an exemption to the most energy-intensive Industrial Strategy still includes clean energy as one of eight previously identified sectors of strength for Britain. Others are advanced manufacturing, defence and the creative industries."Tackling energy costs and fixing skills has been the single biggest ask of us from businesses and the greatest challenge they have faced - this government has listened," Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said in a government said the energy measures would be funded through reforms to the energy system, without raising household bills or taxes. The scope and eligibility for the scheme will be finalised after a consultation. Business and Workers The industrial strategy is Britain's first in eight years, after the centre-left Labour Party said it would provide a more coherent approach to help industry with anything from skills to power to water and Minister Keir Starmer and other ministers said the British state had both stood back and interfered too much. They said workers had little support during deindustrialisation but had also faced what they say is and business groups welcomed the strategy's focus on energy costs and skills, but pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade called for more to be done to ensure faster grid connections and to reform the planning the strategy, the government will expand the state-owned British Business Bank's capacity to channel investment into smaller companies, provide an extra 1.2 billion pounds ($1.61 billion) a year on skills by 2028-29, and cut regulatory burdens on accounts for less than 9% of the economy. As well as including Britain's creative sector, the industrial strategy covers financial and other professional services, but business groups from sectors such as hospitality criticised it for being too narrow in its focus.
Middle East Eye
9 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
'Dangerous escalation': World reacts to US strikes on Iran
The United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday, joining Israel's war. Here is a roundup of the key reactions: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US attacks as "outrageous" and said his country had a right to defend its sovereignty. China's foreign ministry said it "strongly condemns" the US strikes, warning that they "escalate tensions in the Middle East". "China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible," the ministry said. Malaysia's foreign ministry on Monday urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation in the Middle East following U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim country and a longtime Washington ally, said the US attacks "violate all norms of international law". The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas called for de-escalation and a return to negotiations. Russia "strongly condemned" the bombings, calling them "irresponsible" and a "gross violation of international law". Ukraine's foreign ministry said the strikes were justified to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, praising them as a "clear signal". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the strikes a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge". "There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace," he said. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation warned that the strikes could lead to "heightened tensions and threaten regional security, peace, and stability," calling for "de-escalation and self-restraint, and for resorting to dialogue and returning to negotiations and peaceful means." UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the US strikes on Iran, calling on Iran to "return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis". France's President Emmanuel Macron called a meeting of the country's defence council, with his office saying he had spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Oman. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on X that France is urging "all parties to exercise restraint to avoid any escalation that could lead to an extension of the conflict." North Korea also condemned the US strikes, calling it a violation of the United Nations charter and blaming the tension in the Middle East on the "reckless valor of Israel". Pope Leo XIV said that "humanity is crying out for peace" and called for an end to all wars. "Each member of the international community has the moral responsibility to end the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm," Leo said during his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican. Saudi Arabia expressed "great concern" after the strikes on its neighbour, the "sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran". Hamas condemned the "blatant US aggression against the territory and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran". Australia backs the United States' air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities but wants to avert a spiral into "full-scale war" in the Middle East, the government said Monday.
What's On
10 hours ago
- What's On
Emirates adds a third daily flight to Barcelona from Dubai
If Barcelona is on your travel radar (and honestly, why wouldn't it be?), Emirates just made getting there a whole lot easier. Starting Sunday, October 26, the airline is adding a third daily flight from Dubai to the Spanish city to meet growing demand — giving travellers even more flexibility when planning their next European escape. With this new addition, Emirates will now operate 21 weekly flights between Dubai and Barcelona, offering departures from DXB at 3.45am, 8.15am, and 2pm. On the return leg, flights will take off from El Prat Airport (BCN) at 3.10pm, 3.30pm, and 8.25pm. Known for its dreamy beach promenades, vibrant culture, and legendary architecture, Barcelona is a go-to year-round — and this expanded service is perfectly timed for autumn travel season. However, if Spain is not on your list of 'must visit' destinations this year – you don't have to leave the UAE to experience some Spanish culture – just checkout out What's On's curated list of experiencing Spain (and other countries) right here in Dubai, no passport needed. Tickets for the new flight are available now on the Emirates App, or through travel agents and Emirates retail outlets. Fly, then ride: Emirates partners with Uber On top of the added flights to this route, Emirates has also teamed up with Uber to make your journey smoother from door to door. Frequent flyers will soon be able to earn Skywards Miles on Uber rides in select markets — and redeem Uber ride vouchers when booking Emirates flights. It's all part of a wider push to make every leg of your trip — from home to airport to destination — seamless and rewarding. > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
