Jordan

The health care sector in Jordan is poised to benefit from two recent agreements promising to increase the number of medical tourists visiting the country’s hospitals, which offer some of the highest quality services in the region.

With a growing population and increasing demands on scarce natural resources, Jordan is hoping that a major desalination project will be instrumental in helping the Kingdom tackle its water shortages.

The real estate sector continues to draw attention from international investors in the region, which is welcome news as the kingdom looks to rebuild its property market following the global economic downturn of 2008.

The Jordanian government is attempting a difficult balancing act, working to boost economic growth while imposing a series of austerity measures intended to curb public spending and debt levels. These measures may prove unpopular with many in the electorate but should serve to strengthen the economy in the longer term.

The recent ranking of Amman as one of the world’s top cities for internet start-ups has highlighted Jordan’s success in the IT sector. The list, compiled by Rachid Sefrioui, the founder of venture capital firm Finaventures, ranked 10 cities on the basis of availability of talent, infrastructure and capital, legal environment and evidence of entrepreneurship.

Jordan’s reputation for political and social stability has led to a rise in the number of international students choosing the Kingdom for their university education despite concerns over regional unrest. This trend is strengthening Jordan’s efforts to carve out a niche for itself as a regional education hub and could also help the country to tackle its growing budget deficit.