The kingdom’s current economic model is highly integrated with its ability to trade with its neighbours, a model that, thus far, appears to be working well. Despite less than favourable economic headwinds, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) “Global Competiveness Report” for 2012-13, ranked Jordan 64th out of 144 countries surveyed, rising seven places over the previous year.
The early August approval of a $2bn loan by the IMF to Jordan has once again brought the Kingdom’s financial concerns into the spotlight. However, the IMF was quick to point out most of the problems the economy faces come from external factors, and in particular the country’s reliance on foreign sources of energy, which is why much of the IMF’s money will be used to support a number of energy projects well under way.
Even though foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows are poised to rise sharply in the second half of 2012, the Jordanian government is treading cautiously against the background of a still fragile global economy and daily concerns over the level of regional instability on its own doorstep.
The calibre of Jordan’s human resources is a key factor behind its emergence as a regional IT centre, but the sector faces challenges on the labour front, including the need to ensure that the country’s universities continue to produce graduates up to speed with the latest technology. The government and the private sector are undertaking a range of...
The telecoms market in Jordan benefits from being largely liberalised and highly competitive, particularly in the mobile sector, which dominates the voice and internet segments in terms of subscriptions. In the early days of mobile phone technology Jordan was something of a pioneer, but fell slightly behind on the implementation of 3G. However, by...
In March 2010 Orange became the first operator to launch a 3G mobile service in Jordan, having acquired a 15-year licence – including a one-year exclusivity deal – the previous year. Zain joined Orange with the launch of its mobile broadband service in March 2011, with a network that uses HSPA+-based infrastructure. Then in January 2012 Jordan’s...
Stay updated on how some of the world’s most promising markets are being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and what actions governments and private businesses are taking to mitigate challenges and ensure their long-term growth story continues.
Register now and also receive a complimentary 2-month licence to the OBG Research Terminal.
Register Here×