Khaberni - Finance Minister Abdulhakim Al-Shibli read the government's response to the deputies' interventions during the discussion of the 2026 fiscal year budget project on Thursday evening.
The Finance Minister confirmed in his speech before the House of Representatives on Thursday that the 2026 budget project embodies a practical realization of the second phase of the economic update vision, focusing on quality projects in education, health, and infrastructure, including the establishment of 71 new schools and raising health sector allocations to 71 million dinars.
The Minister indicated that the national economy achieved positive indicators during 2025, the most prominent of which was the 2.7% and 2.8% growth of the gross domestic product in the first and second quarters, a decline in inflation to 1.9%, and a surge in foreign reserves to an unprecedented level of 24.6 billion dollars, in addition to direct foreign investment increasing by 36%.
He asserted that the government is committed to gradually reducing the deficit and public debt, anticipating a budget deficit reduction to 3.6% of the gross domestic product by 2028, noting that social protection support increased by 9%, and that local revenues would cover 89% of current expenses in 2026.
The minister emphasized the government's commitment to implementing the recommendations of the financial committee and the deputies' observations, and to follow up on the implementation of the economic update vision projects, affirming that the budget is based on realism and transparency, and prioritizes support for the armed forces, enhancing financial stability, and improving services for citizens.
After the law project's approval, the financial committee in the Senate will discuss the "2026 Budget," to raise its recommendations to the Senate for approval, and then crown it with the Royal Decree and publish it in the official gazette.
Following is the transcript of the Finance Minister's speech to the deputies:
Allow me first to extend my thanks to the Speaker of the House of Representatives for attending some of the sessions of the financial committee, and I also extend my thanks and appreciation to the financial committee in your esteemed council, as chair, recorder, and members, for their significant and distinguished efforts in discussing and studying the draft law of the public budget for the fiscal year 2026, and for the professional approach in preparing its report in an unprecedented time, which was characterized by comprehensive analysis and evaluation of various sectors.
I would also like to express my gratitude to all the honorable brothers and sisters deputies for their interventions, which included views and ideas expressing genuine responsibility towards the homeland and concerns for its future. The government is fully confident that in cooperation with your esteemed council, our efforts will bear fruit in enhancing the growth and development trajectory in our beloved homeland.
The government assures your esteemed council that your recommendations and observations will be carefully attended to and followed up during the coming phase, and the government will remain in contact with your esteemed council, embodying our full partnership, so we may continue the journey of giving together, keeping the elevation of Jordan and serving its citizens in sight.
I would like to take this opportunity to affirm to your esteemed council that the financial policy directions I presented to you in the budget law speech for 2026 are steadfast and robust, and we will continue to work diligently to implement them over the coming years, God willing.
The 2026 budget has come to be a realistic embodiment of the government's developmental vision for implementing the second stage of the economic update vision, translating the goals stated in the vision into quality projects that will lead to positive change in the structure of the capital budget and improving public spending standards, and creating an environment conducive to sustainable economic growth so that the positive performance of the national economy reflects on the expansion of employment opportunities in various sectors and citizens perceive this improvement in service quality.
The government's directions in the 2026 budget law are anchored in the growth drivers identified by the economic update vision in several key sectors, including energy, tourism, water, transport, education, health, telecommunications, and information technology.
As directed by His Majesty the King in the throne speech, we focused in the upcoming budget on implementing major projects in health and education, including establishing 191 projects for the Ministry of Education, 71 of which are projects for establishing new schools across various governorates of the kingdom. We also allocated 71 million dinars for capital projects in the health sector to build new hospitals and health centers, and expand existing ones in various governorates. It is worth noting that we have started implementing the first hospital in partnership with the private sector, represented by Madaba Government Hospital, which will serve as a model for other future projects to be established in partnership with the private sector and exclusively managed by the Ministry of Health.
In this regard, the government confirms that the inclusion of development projects in the governorates is not limited to decentralization projects only but also includes the projects allocated within the budgets of ministries, departments, and governmental units.
Therefore, the general directions of the government in the 2026 budget law came in agreement with the interventions of the honorable deputies, which highlighted the importance of reflecting the general budget's goals and axes of the economic update vision.
To ensure the implementation of projects within the specified time frames, I would like to point out that the government will actively follow up on the projects of the economic update vision (2026-2029) with the concerned entities and issue reports to track achievements, and keep your esteemed council informed.
The preparation of the 2026 public budget law came amid a series of significant political and economic developments that the region has witnessed and which still have effects on the national economy. Despite the negative impacts of these crises on the Jordanian economic situation, our national economy has managed to maintain financial and economic stability and has shown its capability to overcome challenges, with the national economy's performance being relatively better compared to many economies in the region. Among the indicators reflecting the improvement in our national economy are the achievements made in 2025, the most prominent of which is the real gross domestic product growth of 2.7% and 2.8% in the first and second quarters of 2025, respectively, the highest growth rate in two years.
The economy also continued to record the lowest regional inflation rates, with inflation reaching 1.9% during the first ten months of this year, thereby enhancing the stability of the dinar's exchange rate, maintaining the purchasing power of citizens, and preventing the erosion of their incomes. The government also enhanced monetary stability, which is a fundament...
