The Middle East

The textiles, garments and accessories segment has been a success story of Jordan’s industry. The ready-wear, footwear and fabric manufacturers have grown despite difficult business environments. The segment is likely to benefit from a relaxation of the rules of origin (ROO) agreement with the EU, as more companies raise standards to meet...

The manufacturing, mining, quarrying and construction sectors continue to be pillars of Jordan’s economy, collectively accounting for around one-fifth of GDP in 2016. In recent years stable figures have been achieved despite adverse regional events, including war, border closures, population displacement and global market softening. This...

Centred on the capital, Amman, Jordan’s real estate sector experienced a largely stable 2016-17 period. Rents and sales prices registered marginal increases in the residential market, while there were slight declines in the commercial segment. Much of this was due to the higher growth and rapid development of recent years, which left a good...

In June 2015 the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MoWI) launched the National Water Strategy (NWS) 2016-25, which aims to reduce costs and boost annual water supply by 550m cu metres through exploration, drilling and infrastructure investment. The Red Sea Dead Sea Conveyance (RSDS) project is one of the main projects under the plan; however,...

The Port of Aqaba has long provided a gateway not only to Jordan but also to the wider region. Recent times have seen the port undergo a number of major modernisation and expansion schemes, with new facilities and more efficient systems now in place.

Macroeconomic growth hit a 25-year low in 2016 as ongoing regional volatility continued to constrain trade, exports and investment. The Syrian refugee crisis has exacerbated existing pressures on fiscal stability and social infrastructure, while public debt has been on an upward trend as the government attempts to cover the costs associated...