National Exports Grow by 9.2% in First Five Months of 2025 - Jordan News
This data reflects broader trends in Jordan's trade landscape and underscores the country's growing engagement with key global and regional markets.
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- Jordan News
Social Security Reform in Jordan: What Direction Do We Want? - Jordan News
From time to time, the Jordanian government, through various levels issues statements and leaks suggesting that there are challenges threatening the sustainability of the social security system, often hinting at the need to amend the governing law. These positions are frequently supported by recommendations from the International Monetary Fund and/or the World Bank. اضافة اعلان However, Jordan's recent experience has shown that what is offered under the label of 'reform' often involves reducing social entitlements rather than expanding protection or enhancing coverage. A few years ago, we witnessed a government attempt to amend more than one-third of the articles in the Social Security Law, most of which aimed at reducing protections, allowing the government to withhold part of its obligations toward military personnel, and conditioning those payments on economic growth rates exceeding 5%. Although public and parliamentary pressure prevented some of these amendments from being passed, the changes that were adopted effectively weakened the comprehensiveness and efficiency of the system. Today, with renewed calls for reforming the social security system, we must ask the fundamental question: What kind of reform do we want? Is the goal to strengthen the social protection system or simply to reduce costs at the expense of working people? The social security system is not merely a technical insurance scheme; it is one of the key pillars of social, political, and economic stability in any country. In Jordan, social security has been one of the state's most important achievements over the past decades, as it provides protection against old age, illness, disability, unemployment, and other social risks. It also contributes to poverty reduction and narrowing the social gap. Moreover, enhancing social security is no longer optional, it is a national necessity for achieving the goals outlined in the Economic Modernization Vision and the National Social Protection Strategy. Both documents identify social protection as a core pillar of economic reform. It is impossible to talk about a stable, attractive investment environment or increased productivity without a comprehensive, fair, and sustainable social security system. Likewise, any serious economic reform plan cannot succeed without a strong social safety net that protects vulnerable groups from the impacts of economic transformation and mitigates poverty and unemployment. Social security is not a burden on the economy, it is a prerequisite for its success and sustainability. If there is a genuine need to reform the Social Security Law, the starting point should be expanding coverage, not limiting it. Currently, nearly half of Jordan's labor force is not covered by social security, most of them working in the informal sector or as self-employed individuals. What we need are flexible and simplified contribution mechanisms that respond to the diversity of modern work arrangements, supported by incentivizing government policies, not exclusionary measures that increase vulnerability. The policy of expanding early retirement, especially forced retirement in the public sector, has become a burden on the system and threatens its sustainability. These policies must be halted. Exempting youth from some types of insurance coverage is a serious mistake that must be corrected, as it undermines the principle of equality and exposes future generations to weak retirement protection. Similarly, the decision to link the government's contributions for military personnel to economic growth rates must be reversed. Real reform must include all workers without discrimination and provide employment incentives that do not compromise their fundamental rights. Reforming the social security system in Jordan is not a routine technical measure, it is a political, economic, and social decision that affects the future of millions of Jordanians. Therefore, any amendments to this law must be based on principles of justice, inclusiveness, and sustainability, not on austerity approaches that threaten the structure of social protection and reduce the gains of working people. We must understand that social security is a long-term investment in societal stability, not a cost that should be minimized.
Jordan News
5 hours ago
- Jordan News
Increase in agricultural producer prices over 6 months - Jordan News
The cumulative Agricultural Producer Price Index (APPI) for the first six months of the current year reached 122.3 points, compared to 111.3 points during the same period of the previous year, reflecting an increase of 10 percent. اضافة اعلان When comparing the first six months of the current year with the same period last year, prices of several crops increased, most notably hot peppers, green sweet peppers, and cauliflower, which collectively accounted for 65.5% of the relative importance. On the other hand, the index recorded a decline in the prices of crops such as potatoes and eggplants, with a relative importance of 34.5%. According to the monthly report issued by the Department of Statistics on Monday, the APPI for June 2025 stood at 143.1 points, compared to 137.5 points in June 2024, marking an increase of 4.1 percent. On a monthly basis, the APPI for June 2025 increased compared to the same month in 2024, mainly due to rising prices of crops such as strawberries, okra, and mulberries, which represented 52.3% of the relative importance of crops whose prices rose. In contrast, the index declined for crops such as cherries, mushrooms, and colored sweet peppers, which represented 47.7% of the relative importance. However, when comparing June 2025 to May 2025, the index recorded a slight decrease of 1.4 percent, dropping from 145.1 points in May to 143.1 points in June. This decline is attributed to lower prices of crops that made up 85.5% of the relative importance, including fresh molokhia, grapes, and figs. Meanwhile, the prices of some crops rose, particularly cauliflower, loquat, and green onions, which accounted for 14.5% of the relative importance.
Jordan News
5 hours ago
- Jordan News
World Bank: 17% of Jordanian Program to Enhance Digital Transformation of Services - Jordan News
World Bank: 17% of Jordanian Program to Enhance Digital Transformation of Services A recent World Bank report revealed that the Jordanian government is making steady progress in implementing its 'Citizen-Centric Digital Government' program. During the first six months of implementation, the program demonstrated notable progress, reaching 17% of its overall development target. اضافة اعلان Officially launched on March 26, 2024, and set to continue until June 30, 2028, the program aims to create a transformative shift in public service delivery and government performance. It focuses on adopting digital identity, expanding digital health and education services, improving public data management, and implementing human-centered digital governance standards. The report highlighted several early achievements. One notable milestone was the rollout of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system in 55% of health facilities across the country, a significant rise from the initial baseline of 37%, reflecting major progress in the digital transformation of the healthcare sector. In the area of civil service reform, 69% of government appointments are now made through competitive processes—up from zero at the program's outset—marking a key step toward enhancing transparency and efficiency in public employment. The report also noted a doubling in the number of patients actively using the 'Sehhaty' digital health platform. In addition, improvements are expected in Jordan's ranking on the Right to Access Information Index, along with anticipated gains in the Open Data Index. The program continues to make advances in areas such as e-participation, the adoption of digital IDs, and strengthening the mechanisms for sharing data between government institutions. The program is funded through two main components: a $321 million loan from the World Bank and a $29 million grant from a trust fund. By the end of July, total disbursements reached $119 million, representing 34% of the total financing. Approximately $231 million remains available for the next three years, providing momentum for further implementation. By 2028, the program aims to enable at least 3 million citizens to access digital services in both the public and private sectors through a secure and human-centered digital infrastructure. These services are designed to include women, elderly citizens over the age of 65, and refugees. The program also targets users accessing services remotely or through physical government service centers. Digital transformation in the fields of health and education remains a top priority, with plans to digitize the national Tawjihi exam and enhance the electronic medical records system. The program expects that by its conclusion, 3.5 million individuals will have adopted the digital identity, including 1.75 million women and 200,000 elderly individuals. In the education sector, the initiative includes the creation of digital assessment centers and the training of 5,000 teachers, as well as the integration of refugee students into the digitized Tawjihi exams. In the healthcare sector, the government aims to fully implement the electronic medical record system in all facilities, establish a national system for health data quality assurance, and promote the use of data in clinical decision-making. The World Bank emphasized that the progress achieved so far reflects a strong commitment from the Jordanian government and its international partners to building a more efficient, inclusive, and transparent digital public administration. The program is designed to meet the needs of all citizens and align with the demands of the digital age. The implementation pace is expected to accelerate throughout the remainder of 2025, paving the way for broader accomplishments in the second half of the program's timeline. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to strengthen government performance, improve the quality of public services, and elevate levels of transparency and accountability—particularly for the most vulnerable groups in society, including women, the elderly, and refugees.
