Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Saturday said that the 10-year economic blueprint, which His Majesty King Abdullah II had asked the government to draw up earlier this year, aims to strengthen and stabilize the foundations of Jordan's economy, making it self-reliant.
During the opening ceremony of the first national conference to discuss the 10-year economic plan (Jordan Vision 2025) on the Dead Sea shores, Ensour stressed the importance of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development, which will create jobs for Jordanians, reduce poverty and secure a dignified life and a brighter future for them.
The Premier expressed the hope that the vision would serve as a landmark in the march towards a solid and competitive economy, which embodies self-reliance, promotes productivity and enhances the rule of law through effective institutions.
He added that to achieve these goals, the blueprint will include executive programs and a set of measures, that will be periodically reviewed to accommodate any developments and give decision-makers the necessary flexibility to achieve the desired results.
The prime minister said, "What reassures us is that there is a political will at the highest level," pointing to a new mechanism to monitor and follow up on the commitment to implement the plan through a governmental follow-up unit at the Cabinet level.
He said that achievements will be published on a regular basis and will be made available to observers from the Parliament, citizens and media, to pinpoint shortcomings, enhance credibility and trust between the government and citizens and hold those negligent accountable.
Ensour noted that this conference is a proof of promoting the participatory principle in terms of ensuring participation of all stakeholders, such as the government, the Parliament, the private sector, civil society institutions, popular and political parties, academic institutions and elected councils, in deciding the broader contours of Jordan Vision 2025.
He said, "We live in a turbulent region, and that factor imposes challenges, but this should not impede the progress as His Majesty the King indicated recently in his discussion paper." he pointed out that such challenges could serve as an incentive to work as a team to transform these into opportunities to improve the living standards of people.
Ensour said Jordan's economy faces challenges in the energy sector and its high cost, scarcity of water supplies and the lack of investment in the transportation sector in addition to poverty, unemployment and the widening development disparities between provinces.
The prime minister said, "There is an ambiguity in the relationship between the public and private sector, and we hope that the new partnership law, which is being studied by the parliament, would address this issue since we consider the private sector as a strategic partner in the economic development process and a contributor to sustainable growth that we seek in Jordan