Central Bank Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged on All Monetary Policy Tools - Jordan News
The Open Market Operations Committee at the Central Bank of Jordan held its second meeting for 2025, where it decided to maintain the interest rates on all monetary policy tools at their current levels. اضافة اعلان The committee extensively discussed the economic, monetary, and financial developments domestically, as well as the updates on the regional and global economic environment. Available economic indicators confirm the strength of monetary stability and the resilience of Jordan's banking sector, supported by a comfortable level of foreign reserves at the Central Bank, which exceeded USD 21 billion by the end of February 2025. Data also showed that the inflation rate remained low at 2.2% during the first two months of this year, with expectations to stabilize at the same level for the entire year of 2025. This contributes to maintaining purchasing power and enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy. Regarding the banking sector, data showed positive growth reflecting its strength and public confidence. Customer deposits at banks grew by 6.8% year-on-year, reaching approximately 47 billion Jordanian dinars by the end of January 2025. Additionally, the balance of credit facilities provided by banks increased by 4.8% to around 35.1 billion dinars, highlighting the vital role of the banking sector in providing the necessary financing for economic activities, particularly investments that support sustainable economic growth. On the external sector front, the indicators continued their positive improvement. Tourism sector revenues increased by 16.3% during the first two months of 2025, reaching about USD 1.3 billion compared to the same period last year, indicating the recovery of this vital sector. Furthermore, remittances from workers abroad rose by 1.2% in January 2025, reaching about USD 320 million. In the same context, total exports increased by 5.8% in 2024, reaching a value of USD 13.3 billion. Preliminary estimates indicate that foreign direct investment flowing into the Kingdom reached approximately USD 1.6 billion in 2024, reflecting investor confidence and the attractiveness of the investment environment in the Kingdom. On the economic activity front, GDP growth recorded a rate of 2.4% during the first three quarters of 2024, with expectations for stabilization around this rate for the full year. A relative acceleration is expected, with growth reaching about 2.7% in 2025, driven by improvements in domestic and external demand, especially investment demand, and the continued positive performance of various economic sectors.
The Central Bank of Jordan emphasized its ongoing commitment to monitoring economic, monetary, and financial developments both locally and internationally. The bank also affirmed its commitment to taking all necessary measures to maintain monetary and financial stability and to contain inflationary pressures within acceptable levels.
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The balance between East and West will remain the motto of the next phase, requiring Beijing to offer more competitive offers while respecting the unique characteristics of the Jordanian market. Deepening Local Manufacturing: The current model focuses on importing Chinese components and assembling them in Jordan. Jordanian decision-makers aspire to transfer deeper technologies, enabling the establishment of real industries that attract Jordanian engineers. Soft diplomacy and deepening success narratives: Jordanian citizens see the Chinese presence as an added value to their daily lives, not just numbers in the news. Here, cultural grant programs and popular media play a pivotal role. Seventh: Chen's Tears... A Farewell Message or a Promise of a Reunion? When the ambassador was asked after his speech about the reason for his tears, he responded with a brief statement: "I loved Jordan more than I expected." Between the lines lies the understanding that international relations are not built solely on agreements signed behind closed doors; rather, they are built on simple human rhythms: a friend who becomes familiar with a street, masters a new language, says "good morning" in the Ammani dialect, and the neighbors respond with "你好" at the door. This intimacy may seem like a marginal detail on the Foreign Ministry's agenda, but it is a spirit capable of moving the wheels of the economy, culture, and politics in directions that are difficult to measure with numbers. And then: Where do Where do we go from here? As Jordan and China mark the tenth anniversary of their strategic partnership, they close a chapter enriched by Ambassador Chen Chuandong's efforts and open a new one poised to tackle shared challenges—post-pandemic recovery, energy security, and climate change. This is a moment for both nations to co-create a development model that fuses innovation with cultural diversity and adapts technology to Jordan's unique context, all while benefiting from China's openness and experience. Though Ambassador Chen is preparing to leave Amman, the legacy he leaves behind—from solar panels glinting in the desert sun to the harmonies of "Zhong Rui" echoing through the Jerash Amphitheater—will endure. It serves as lasting proof that when diplomacy is guided by empathy and vision, it writes more than agreements; it writes relationships. In a world where headlines fade fast, perhaps the most enduring mark of an ambassador is this simple line etched into the history of two nations: 'A friendship was born here.'
