Khaberni - Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan issued notice No. 14 for the year 2025, for the preparation of the Public Budget Law project and the project for the formation of ministries, departments, and governmental units for the fiscal year 2026.
The issuance of the notice comes within the framework of the government's endeavor to approve the Public Budget Law project for 2026 and send it to the House of Representatives by constitutional deadlines before the end of next month, cooperating with the parliament to approve it in its final form before the end of this year, aiming for the government to start implementing capital and new projects listed early on.
The Prime Minister had affirmed during the cabinet session held on Wednesday in the capital province that the government, in cooperation with the parliament, is striving to approve the new budget before the end of this year, for the first time; "in order not to delay working on capital projects at the beginning of the next year."
Below is the text of the notice:
In preparation for accomplishing the Public Budget Law project for the fiscal year 2026 and discussing it and proceeding with the approval procedures according to the constitutional provisions, simultaneously with the preparation of the project for the formation of ministries, departments, and governmental units.
In light of the royal directives for the government to move forward in implementing the comprehensive reform program, both politically, economically, and administratively, and to consolidate governmental efforts to implement the second phase of the economic modernization vision and public sector modernization (2026- 2029) to achieve sustainable inclusive growth leading to a better quality of life for citizens.
In the context of achieving the targets of the national financial and economic reform program, accelerating the pace of structural reforms, and foremost among them, adjusting the public finances and reducing public debt to targeted levels, improving the business environment, attracting more investments, digitizing government services, and enhancing the social protection network.
Continuing to implement prudent fiscal and economic policies of the government—despite regional challenges—that have led to enhanced financial and economic stability and improved macroeconomic indicators, notably the rise in the growth of the gross domestic product, stabilizing the credit rating of the kingdom, and containing the public budget deficit.
To continue the policies and government decisions aimed at stimulating various sectors and continuing the implementation of initiatives and projects of the economic modernization vision and achieving its pillars, capital spending has been increased alongside taking into account the increase in current expenditures in line with the growth in nominal gross domestic product and in line with the government's orientations aimed at controlling and rationalizing public spending, thus defining the overall public spending ceiling as well as spending ceilings for each ministry, department, and governmental unit including provinces for the fiscal year 2026, where the preparation of estimates for the Public Budget Law project for the fiscal year 2026 was based on a set of orientations, including the following:
1. Starting the implementation of the second executive program of the economic modernization vision and the public sector modernization map according to the specified timelines.
2. Continuing to implement the requirements of the national financial and economic reform program to enhance financial and economic stability and achieve sustainable economic growth.
3. Continuing to implement policies and structural reforms and measures aimed at maintaining macroeconomic stability and ensuring the sustainability of public finances, including continuing measures to enhance tax and customs administration.
4. Providing the necessary support to the armed forces and security agencies to ensure their readiness to face security challenges and perform their tasks efficiently and effectively.
5. Attracting more domestic and foreign investments by improving the business environment to reach an investment environment that mirrors best practices to achieve sustainable comprehensive growth and create job opportunities.
6. Enhancing the efficiency of capital spending and targeting programs and projects that stimulate economic growth, according to the mechanism adopted in determining the priorities of new governmental investment projects.
7. Enhancing the principle of partnership in implementing investment opportunities with the private sector and giving priority to implementing partnership projects between the public and private sectors, especially major projects in sectors of infrastructure, water, energy, and health, among others.
8. Covering the developmental needs of provinces with priority given to capital projects under implementation and committed projects.
9. Improving the level and quality of health care and services provided to citizens, moving towards an integrated digital health system, focusing on primary health care programs, and continuing the expansion of health insurance coverage.
10. Paying more attention to education at various stages in line with global developments in digital education methods, focusing on updating, maintaining, and constructing schools across the kingdom; to provide a school environment conducive to learning, expanding kindergarten programs, and continuing the qualification and training of teachers, with a necessary focus on linking education outputs to labor market needs through enhancing vocational and technical education programs.
11. Developing the social care and protection system and enhancing programs for the economic empowerment of targeted poor individuals and families, enhancing the efficiency of targeting support to those who deserve it, and improving their economic participation through offering capacity-building and skill development programs to those able to work among them and enabling them to access the labor market.
12. Completing the development of the system to enhance food security for the kingdom and accelerating achievements in the pillars of the national strategy for food security.
13. Increasing attention to the tourism sector and elevating the level of tourist services given its active contribution to economic growth and revitalizing related sectors, focusing on tourism promotion programs aimed at attracting global tourism and enhancing local tourism and stimulating domestic and foreign investments in the tourism sector.
14. Stimulating the industrial sector to continue its positive performance in economic growth, and enhancing the competitiveness of the industrial investment environment.
15. Supporting the judicial apparatus and building the capacities of judges and enabling it to continue its role in protecting rights and establishing principles of justice and integrity and expediting and facilitating litigation procedures through the development of technical systems and digital transformation of the courts.
16. Advancing the land, air, maritime, and rail transport sector, enhancing its quality and efficiency, and continuing to expand road networks and ensure their sustainability, using technology and smart solutions in the sector.
17. Securing sustainable water sources and enhancing the optimal use of water resources, continuing to control water loss, and achieving financial sustainability for the water sector.
18. Continuing to implement digital transformation programs in governmental institutions and using technological applications in various sectors and enhancing the cybersecurity system, and expanding comprehensive government service centers which lead to facilitating the provision of government services with quality and efficiency.
19. Implementing international and national commitments related to climate change and linking them to the strategic plans of ministries, departments, and governmental units, and accelerating the pace of reducing carbon emissions across all sectors.
20. Developing the energy sector to keep up with technological advancements, updating the infrastructure of the electrical network, enhancing the position of Jordan as a regional center for energy production and export, regulating electricity loss, and diversifying sources of clean energy, and achieving financial sustainability for the national electricity company.
21. Supporting municipalities and alleviating financial burdens on them through implementing a plan to repay the debts owed by them to enhance their ability to provide services to citizens efficiently and effectively.
22. Following up on evaluating the performance of ministries, departments, and governmental units and preparing quarterly reports in this regard; to link the general budget to performance, follow up on the observations contained in the annual report of the Audit Bureau and correct violations and take measures to ensure that these violations are not repeated.
23. Accelerating the implementation of projects and programs linked to grants and aid provided by friendly and brotherly countries and international institutions and committing the ministries, departments, and governmental units involved in achieving the indicators linked to them and agreed upon with the donor and lender entities under the agreements signed with them.
The 2026 budget is based on the following main economic forecasts:
1. The growth of the gross domestic product at constant prices by (2.9%) for the year 2026 and by (3%) for the years 2027 and 2028. It is also expected that the nominal gross domestic product will grow by (5.4%) for the years 2026 and 2027 and 2028.
2. Reaching an inflation rate measured by the relative change in the consumer price index of about (2.2%) for each of the years 2026 and 2027 and 2028.
3. The growth of exports by (4.3%) for the year 2026 and (3.4%) in the year 2027 and (6.3%) in the year 2028.
4. The growth of imports by (7.5%) for the year 2026 and (5.4%) in the year 2027 and (5.2%) in the year 2028.
5. Reaching a deficit in the current account of the balance of payments as a percentage of the gross domestic product for the year 2026 of about (-5.8%) to decrease to (-5.5%) in the year 2027 and to (-5.2%) in the year 2028.
The estimates of expenditures and revenues in the Public Budget Law project for the fiscal year 2026 are also based on assumptions related to the following financial measures:
1. Allocating financial allocations for projects of the second executive program for the economic modernization vision and public sector modernization.
2. The natural annual increase in employee salaries.
3. The natural annual increase in retirement allocations for the civilian and military apparatus.
4. Limiting appointments to vacant and newly created positions according to the instructions for the quantifiable and objective evaluation and analysis of positions in the public sector.
5. Allocating the necessary financial allocations to support the Jordanian Armed Forces and security agencies, contributing to enhancing their efficiency and readiness.
6. Covering the cost of interest on internal and external public debt, and benefiting from the positive effects of the credit rating by credit rating institutions in obtaining financing from international markets at the lowest possible interest rates.
7. Continuing to target the gradual decrease in public debt and the primary deficit in the general budget.
8. Controlling expenses without impairing the ability of government agencies to perform their tasks as required, including rationalizing expenses for the use of fuels, electricity, water, stationery, and following regular and systematic maintenance of water networks, enhancing the use of solar energy for electricity generation and energy-saving tools, controlling the use of government vehicles and heating, as well as travel items, and not changing or purchasing vehicles and furniture except in cases of extreme necessity and after obtaining prior approval from the Prime Minister.
9. Allocating financial allocations to support strategic commodities and continue fixing the price of bread and gas cylinders, and enhancing the strategic stock of wheat and barley for sufficient periods.
10. Allocating financial allocations to supply industrial cities with natural gas to reduce energy costs in production processes, and allocations to implement the national export strategy.
11. Allocating financial allocations for the capital budgets of provinces and the current expenditures to sustain the operation of provincial councils.
12. Allocating the necessary financial allocations for the National Aid Fund to cover the cost resulting from the increased number of beneficiary families.
13. Allocating financial allocations for partnership projects with the private sector.
14. Continuing to allocate financial allocations for medical treatments, medicines, and medical supplies, and covering the cost of treating cancer patients, and expanding health insurance coverage in preparation for achieving universal health coverage.
15. Continuing to allocate the necessary financial allocations for the development and improvement of municipalities.
16. Allocating financial allocations to support universities and increase allocations to the university student support fund.
17. Allocating the necessary financial allocations to cover financial obligations and arrears on ministries and governmental departments.
18. Allocating financial allocations for expropriation purposes.
19. Allocating financial allocations to enhance the independence of judicial and supervisory bodies.
20. Allocating the necessary financial allocations to implement strategic projects in the sectors of water, energy, transportation, health, and education.
21. Allocating the necessary financial allocations for the promotion of the tourism sector.
22. Allocating financial allocations to support the digital transformation process and purchase operating systems and software and enhance cybersecurity and electronic protection and fortify technical and technological systems.
23. Allocating financial allocations for major new projects for the year 2026, after registering them in the national registry of governmental investment projects, and approving them by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation / Government Investment Management Unit, with the necessity of including within these projects a climate impact assessment and risk study related to climate and necessary measures to avoid those risks, and preparing a summary of the climate impact assessment results for these projects by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.
24. Following up on allocating the necessary financial allocations to implement projects emerging from the national strategy for Jordanian women's affairs and improving the budget's response to the needs of both genders.
25. Allocating the necessary financial allocations to implement the indicators contained in grant program agreements signed with international entities.
26. Reclassifying capital project expenses that are predominantly characterized by ongoing activities within the current expenses.
27. Not making appointments on account of capital projects, except in justified cases and with the approval of the cabinet.
28. Not purchasing user services except in justified cases and with the approval of the Prime Minister.
29. Taking into account in estimating revenues the growth of nominal gross domestic product, and the effects resulting from structural financial reforms to combat tax and customs evasion and avoidance and tax compliance.
30. The kingdom receiving the full amount of external grants agreed upon and estimated in the general budget.
In light of the above, all ministries, departments, and governmental units must prepare their budgets for the years 2026-2028, in detail in accordance with the limits set for them, and supply the Public Budget Department with them by the deadline of 9/11/2025, including capital projects for the provinces in their budget proposals, taking into account the limited financial resources available and the government policy adopted in controlling and rationalizing public spending and increasing its efficiency and productivity when preparing these budgets.
Ministries, departments, and governmental units must carry out the amendments and updates that have occurred to their strategic plans during this year, including the vision, mission, strategic objectives, programs, and tasks they undertake, their contribution to achieving national objectives, as well as other illustrative data and information, applicable and measurable performance indicators, and the values of performance indicators achieved during the past year, statement of deviations from targeted indicator values, and also the indicators aimed to be achieved during the years 2026-2028.
They must also consider the needs of women, children, youth, and persons with disabilities when defining these indicators and reflecting these indicators on the related strategy and/or programs, the main challenges faced in achieving the programs, the measures aimed at addressing these challenges at the program level, and highlighting the outcomes and outputs they provide in achieving the economic modernization vision and the national priorities, which enables continuous assessment of government achievements and performance.
In addition to stating the numbers of human resources employed by them according to gender and their distribution according to the programs, stating the goals of each program from these programs and the main services provided by it and stating the directorates and departments responsible for implementing these programs, specifying priorities related to climate change and both genders and other priorities, and the measures taken to achieve those priorities and the expected results for them and the programs related to them.
To achieve the goals of the fiscal policy and control the financial deficit and the growth rates of public debt during the years 2026-2028, it is necessary for all ministries, departments, and governmental units to comply with the instructions attached with the notice of preparing the Public Budget Law project and the project for the formation of ministries, departments, and governmental units for the fiscal year 2026.
