Economic Policies Support Forum Issues Its Comprehensive Report End of March

22 Feb 2012

Preparing an advisory paper about energy to be submitted to government, and a database of economic policies

AMMAN --- February 22, 2012 --- The 7th meeting of the Economic Policies Support Forum was held at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Business Forum in the presence of the Forum’s committee members.

HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, president of the Forum extended his gratitude to the attendees for their efforts and dedication in ultimately serving the national economy saying that the Forum has become the first phenomena to be established in Jordan by the local community with this enormous respect and appreciation at all levels.

During the meeting which tackled several economic and procedural issues, HE Abu-Ghazaleh announced that in the coming period of time a Database will be established concerning the government economic policies to become a reference while experts in programming at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization will work on classifying data and posting all these policies on the portal.

He stated that the Forum will make the energy sector a priority since it constitutes 50% of the economic dilemma and the country’s biggest burden, therefore, an advisory paper will be submitted to the government indicating specified theories on the short, medium and long term.

Meanwhile, the Forum established a committee to develop economic ties with the Arab states headed by Mr. Mohammad Saqr; another specialized committee for cooperation with the GCC states mandated, according to Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh, to provide comprehensive programs on the level of higher education, tourism, medicine and other services and projects to be promoted in the Arab countries and worldwide.

The attendees also underlined the intention to organize discussion sessions with ministers of finance, planning, higher education and scientific research and with the governor of the Central Bank along with leading figures from the civil society and economic institutions, societies, chambers of trade and industry among others.

The participants highly praised the stand of MP Ms. Reem Badran in submitting suggestions and notes to the House’s Economic Committee based on the Forum’s key guidelines provided earlier to HE the Prime Minister Own Khasaweneh on the economic situation and the general budget.

In addition, participants discussed the tax policies management calling for setting up tax quality control standards. HE Abu-Ghazaleh expressed the readiness of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization in cooperation with the Arab Society of Certified Accountants (ASCA) and income tax experts to formulate tax policies and standards.

It’s worth mentioning that work is currently under process between ASCA and the Income and Sales Tax Department to establish a joint training center, hold joint seminars and workshops in addition to issuing a joint professional certificate in accounting and tax audit fields.

Heads of committees at the Forum presented a brief about their accomplishments concluding that there is a potential to issue a comprehensive report about the economic policies at the end of March including the main guidelines for an economic reform program.

Members of the Forum were also informed that the Forum was registered at the Companies Comptroller at the Ministry of Industry and Trade as a non-profit voluntary organization concerned with the economic issue under the name the “Economic Policies Support Forum”. The Forum’s annual subscription was decreased from JD100 to 50 and to JD10 to students.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Salman Al Hafez was appointed a general consultant, HE Mr. Hasan Abu Nemeh, media consultant, Mr. Nabeel Al Talhouni, development consultant and Mr. Ali Madadha, a coordinator.