Khaberni - Jordan has completed 326 reforms out of a total of 403 from the structural and legislative reform matrix it committed to since 2018 as part of the "London Initiative" conference, with a completion rate of 81%, according to the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.
Data from the Economic Reform Implementation Support Unit, affiliated with the Ministry, monitored by "Khaberni," shows the government's continued implementation of these reform measures, despite originally planning to finish them by the end of 2024, after extending them from 2022. The updated matrix is linked to the economic modernization vision, addressing directly several sectors and key initiatives that fall under the vision through 30 initiatives.
The updated version of the matrix consists of 12 pillars instead of 9 in its original version, covering 44 areas of reform compared to 37 in the first version, and includes 403 reform actions, up from only 254 previously.
The economic reform matrix was developed by the Jordanian government with support from the World Bank and development partners, with the government beginning to implement these reforms since the official launch of the matrix during the "Jordan: Growth & Opportunities" conference in February 2019.
The structural and legislative reforms in the matrix contribute to maintaining macroeconomic stability, improving the business environment, and increasing investments and exports, serving as a guiding document for government plans and programs, as well as donor agencies and development partners.
The matrix; is entirely owned by the government, and in October 2022, the Cabinet approved the updated economic reform matrix (2018-2024), which was expanded to 12 pillars with the addition of public sector efficiency and governance, and the tourism sector, separating the water and agriculture pillar into two foundations.
Regarding the distribution of reforms across sectors, the data shows "variations" in progress and achievement levels, with the agriculture sector achieving a 91% completion rate covering 5 reform areas and 23 reform actions, and the water sector achieved the same rate through two reform areas and 23 actions. Meanwhile, the public finance sector reached a 90% completion rate, encompassing 3 areas of reform and 21 reform actions.
The public sector efficiency pillar, which was added in the latest expansion, includes six areas of reform encompassing 46 actions, with a completion rate reaching 87%, one of the highest completion rates among the newly added pillars.
In the same context, the business environment improvement pillar achieved an 86% completion rate, spread over three areas and 29 actions, while the labor market and skill development pillar, consisting of four areas and 44 actions, achieved the same rate.
The investment promotion and exports sector, which is central to growth goals, included 65 actions distributed across six areas, recording a completion rate of 78%. The social protection enhancement pillar, covering one area with 28 actions, reached an 82% completion rate.
The transport pillar, consisting of four areas covering 28 actions, achieved a 71% completion rate, while the newly added tourism sector achieved 59% and included three areas and 22 actions. Conversely, the energy sector's completion rate reached 81% out of 36 actions distributed across four reform areas, while the finance access and capital market sector achieved the lowest completion rate at 63%, covering three areas and 28 actions.
