Khaberni - The Governor of the Central Bank of Jordan, Adel Al-Sharkas, confirmed that the monetary policy adopted by the Central Bank has succeeded in maintaining steadfast foundations for monetary and banking stability in the Kingdom, and translating it into tangible results on the ground, despite the existing regional and international challenges.
During a dialogue session entitled "Monetary Policy and Macroeconomic Stability" at the American University in Madaba, he emphasized that safeguarding monetary stability is a pivotal objective of the Central Bank and a fundamental cornerstone of overall economic stability, providing a safe and stimulating environment for growth, attractive to investment, and capable of supporting long-term development and planning trajectories.
Al-Sharkas added that the bank gradually moved towards an expansionary monetary policy starting from September 2024, after the restrictive policy adopted by the bank, in line with global central banks, achieved its objectives. He noted that the Central Bank had cut interest rates five times, by a cumulative total of 150 basis points, a step that reflects its commitment to establishing a balanced equilibrium between the requirements of maintaining monetary stability on one hand, and supporting economic activity and enhancing its expansion capability on the other hand.
He stated that today's monetary indicators reflect the strength of monetary stability in the Kingdom, primarily the increase in the Central Bank's foreign reserves to more than 24 billion dollars, sufficient to cover the Kingdom’s imports for more than 7 months, and the decrease in dollarization rate to 18.2% by the end of September 2025, alongside containing inflationary pressures and maintaining stability near 2% during the first three quarters of the current year, a level that enhances the competitiveness of the national economy and preserves the purchasing power of the citizens.
He pointed out that digital payments in the Kingdom are continuously growing, having reached 31 billion by the end of September 2025, confirming that this level reflects the progress of the financial digital system in the Kingdom, and enhances the transition towards a digital economy.
On the economic developments front, Al-Sharkas mentioned that the national economy grew by 2.8% during the second quarter of the current year, demonstrating its resilience and high capacity to adapt to external shocks and regional and international fluctuations, thanks to the commitment to implementing fiscal and economic structural reforms that have supported the fundamentals of the macroeconomy, enhanced the business environment, and increased the competitiveness and resilience of the national economy.
He added that the national economy continues to steadily advance in implementing economic reforms through the economic reform program, in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund, within a pathway consistent with the vision of economic modernization currently being worked on to prepare its second implementation program for the years 2026-2029.
Al-Sharkas pointed out that the economy has achieved many positive economic indicators, especially in terms of external sector indicators, where it managed to attract foreign direct investments exceeding one billion dollars, growing by 36.4% during the first half of the current year 2025, reflecting the confidence in the national economy and its investment environment.
National exports have experienced strong growth of 8.0% during the first eight months of 2025, reaching 8.6 billion dollars, driven by an increase in both non-traditional exports by 7.6%, which constitute 88.0% of the national exports, and traditional exports (potash and phosphate), which increased by 11.2%.
Remittances from workers abroad increased by 4.1% to reach 3.3 billion dollars during the first three quarters of 2025, and despite the geopolitical conditions in the region, tourism income continued its recovery, registering a growth of 6.5% during the first ten months of 2025 to reach 6.6 billion dollars.
Al-Sharkas emphasized the important role played by the American University in Madaba, and the quality of educational programs it offers, stressing the importance of enhancing cooperation between the Central Bank and the university in supporting joint efforts in academic and research fields and in developing capacities.
On his part, the president of the university, Ma'moun Akroush, praised the pivotal role played by the Central Bank in maintaining monetary and financial stability in the Kingdom, affirming that the bank's capability to face external challenges serves as a model for the region.
On the sidelines of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the bank and the university to enhance joint cooperation in the fields of scientific research and building student capacity to improve the employment prospects of graduates in the financial and banking sector.
