Jordan's Role in the Age of Economic Empires and Political Extremes

Ammon

28-05-2025

In today's post-COVID world, governments are no longer content with slow reform and bureaucratic red tape. They're acting like conglomerates by chasing market share, competing for talent and launching bold national strategies with ambitious KPIs.
It is now evident that the global game has changed.
Economic visions are now the new battlegrounds. And the countries that are winning are the ones thinking really big. But as we think economically, we must not ignore the political current. The world is not just reshaping itself through growth, but it is doing so under rising ideological pressure.
In Israel, Netanyahu's far-right government continues to entrench apartheid, criminalize dissent, and destabilize the region. In Germany, the opposition is now led by a woman whose views echo Europe's fascist past, and it is apparent that she is gaining real ground in mainstream politics. In the United States, President Trump's comeback is coupled with policies that many see as authoritarian, despite being wrapped in economic populism.
The danger here is subtle but serious… Some countries are building through vision while others are consolidating through fear.
Case Studies in Boldness: Power Plays Spanning From the Gulf to Global Markets
Take India, for example. The world's most populous country is aiming to become a $5 trillion economy in the next few years. Its 'Digital India' and 'Make in India' initiatives have turned governance into a tech-driven enterprise. From a homegrown Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
system to the aggressive pursuit of semiconductor independence, India is digitizing, decentralizing, and dreaming on a scale we used to think only Silicon Valley could.
Then there's Indonesia. Jakarta, which has long been one of the world's most congested capitals, is being replaced altogether! The government is building an entirely new capital city called Nusantara from scratch. The $34 billion smart city is one of the most ambitious urban projects of our time, and while its final phase may only be complete in 2045, Indonesia is saying to the world 'We're not afraid to start over to move forward', which is very respectable.
Saudi Arabia and The Emirates are now in open competition with one another and with the rest of the world. It's no longer just about skyscrapers and luxury malls. It's about who can attract the next 1,000 regional headquarters, who can win the AI arms race, and who can dominate logistics, trade, and tourism.
Qatar, once focused on Knightsbridge real estate, is now diversifying its global assets. The country has moved beyond London and into other markets. Just four days ago, China approved the Qatar Sovereign Wealth Fund's request to purchase a 10% stake in its second largest mutual fund company.
Even China, now with a per capita GDP surpassing $10,000, is in a stage of exponential ascent. Fifty years ago, that was where the U.S. stood. Today, Beijing is building ports, highways, and digital infrastructure across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The Belt and Road isn't just a slogan, it's a full-blown strategy.
And then there's the United States, where Trump and company are reorganizing America around economic firepower: tariffs, crypto regulation, manufacturing repatriation, and an unapologetic 'America First' doctrine that still shapes global markets.
Everywhere you look, countries are making bold, strategic moves to secure their place in the 21st century.
Jordan, too, has begun to stir.
In Aqaba, strategic partnerships with Abu Dhabi are being revived. Marsa Zayed is back on the radar. Major tenders are being issued for logistics, energy, and infrastructure. It seems like every month ADC and ASEZA are making announcements or decisions that are meant to attract foreign investments.
In Tafilah, the government just announced extraordinary investment incentives including 50% discounts on land, and free electricity for three years to new investors.
But let's be clear: these are early signals. What Jordan needs now is a full-throttle pivot.
It's time for Jordan to make power plays.
Jordan doesn't need to imitate the Gulf or any other '2030 vision' for that matter. Jordan needs to chart its own course; one that is smart, self-reliant, and future-proof. There's never going to be a better time for a bold power move; revolutionary even. Jordan must conceptualize, create and implement a plan that turns its problems into opportunities. For instance, Southern Jordan is ideal for large-scale data centers since there is a stable geology, low humidity, affordable land and an abundance of sunlight year-round for energy requirements. Also, AI training and coding academies should become national priorities, turning youth into creative digital talent ready to export tools and apps for the rest of the world to use. Jordan must utilize all these ideas to build around existing platforms, such as the submarine fiber optic cables that are an integral part of the global internet backbone.
The Jordanian government is already offering incentives in different economic zones around the kingdom, but now is the time to scale up. There must be incentives on a scale big enough to attract global giants like Google and NVIDIA to come over and form strategic partnerships with the private sector in Jordan- and this needs to be facilitated by the government.
Will Jordan remain risk-averse and dependent? Or will it take its place among the daring?
Jordan has a young, talented population. A strategic location. Political stability in a region addicted to chaos. The only things missing are scale, and the courage to chase it.
Let Jordan industrialize. Let Jordan digitize.
Let Jordan empower its youth, not with slogans or public-sector wages, but with private-sector salaries befitting of their talents.