At the Economic Policy Development Forum meeting Addressing the financial crisis will not be effective without a comprehensive, integrated and explicit strategy, said Dr. Jawad Anani.

The EPDF executive committee hosted Dr. Jawad Al Anani, director of the Economic and Social Council. He tackled the role and work progress of the Council, including capacity building, communication with decision makers and identifying imbalances and obstacles facing economic and social development.

AMMAN --- September 17, 2012 --- The Executive Committee of the Economic Policy Development Forum (EPDF) held its regular meeting under the chairmanship of HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh.

The Committee hosted Dr. Jawad Al Anani, director of the Economic and Social Council. He tackled the role and work progress of the Council, including capacity building, communication with decision makers and identifying imbalances and obstacles facing economic and social development.

Dr. Anani also tackled Jordan’s economic situation which is going through a critical phase with no signs of imminent recovery. He said that the only way to address the situation is through an integrated and explicit strategy that covers all aspects of the crisis.

Dr. Al Anani warned that if we do not follow such a strategy we would keep on moving from one crisis to another without success in solving any of them. He added that 42% of the Jordanian workforce serve in the public sector while the remaining 58% works in other sectors; and that excludes those Jordanians working abroad, for example in the Gulf region.  However, these rates do not indicate productivity and we are in desperate need for studies on productivity, the speakers emphasized.

The meeting focused on discussing a work mechanism for developing and producing the Jordanian Economic Charter. A plan and relevant suggestions presented by Dr. Khaled Al Wazni in this respect were approved. Moreover, the results and outcomes of a number of EPDF committees as well as work papers were reviewed, and approved too.

The first paper was a proposed national paper about promoting accountability, transparency and fighting corruption. This paper which was submitted by Prof. Hisham Gharaibeh aims not only at identifying the reasons and factors of corruption and its consequences, but it also aims at establishing the necessary rules and legal means for preventing corruption and presenting a national vision that contributes to building an effective national strategy that prevents corruption in the future.

The second paper was submitted by Mr. Nabeel Al Talhouni and tackled partnership in the social economy. It also explained how social economy organizations can play a role and help achieve the main objectives of governmental policies and promote productivity and competitiveness towards a comprehensive society as well as an effective, productive and active citizenship.

Mr. Hasan Abu-Nimah talked about partnership for information and public awareness and reviewed the accomplished procedures as well as the meetings held with the partners in the Jordan Media Institute, the Jordan Press Association and the Jordan News Agency.  Mr. Abu- Nimah also indicated the intention to establish cooperation with the Global Challenges Forum (GCF) chaired by Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh, of which research results and documents can constitute a fruitful input in the partnership for general awareness.

As guest speaker, Dr. Al Anani stated that almost half of the Jordanian population (3 million out of 6 million) are in the working age and that half of them do not wish to work either because of studying or for other reasons.

Therefore, the labor force accounts for (1.5) million only. On the other hand, 800 thousand foreign workers exist in Jordan. According to Dr. Al Anani, all successive governments could not develop a feasible strategy to totally or even partially substitute foreign labor with Jordanian labor.

The measures adopted by successive ministries of labor, which used to chase foreign workers, to verify their permits and deport violators, have led to increased daily wages at no less than JD 15 for Egyptian workers, which is higher than the general average of the Jordanian employee who receives not more than (380) JD`s per month.

Dr. Al Anani added that creating job opportunities is the responsibility of the private sector rather than the government, indicating the inability of successive governments to properly manage and invest human resources in the country despite the existence of abundant potentials not invested in yet. He added that there are still natural resources to be utilized and that our country is the last in the region in applying the e-government, without which no societal surveys can be conducted, and no smart card for each citizen can be created in order to manage medical services and prevent duplication.

Al Anani also complained about Jordanian low working hours which in comparison with the Israeli working hours only represent one sixth of the Israeli.

The committee members participated in a discussion that resulted in significant outcomes and a future work plan which includes the following:

- Developing an Arab economic charter, similar to the Forum’s current endeavors to prepare the Jordanian economic charter, which will be a model for the Arab economic charter.
- Place the expertise and potentials of the tax department of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization at the disposal of the specialized committee in the House of Representatives, which currently works on developing a new law of ascending tax through HE Member of Parliament Mrs. Reem Badran.
- Following up work progress to hold a seminar on Education for employment. The seminar is being prepared by a specialized team from the Forum to be held during next October in partnership with Al Rai Center for Strategic Studies.
- Conducting a study for defining “government” as well as its tasks and roles, because the general function of government is taken for granted, while another definition should be developed to reflect the concept from the perspective of tasks and duties towards the society and the country.
The committee discussed the stages of preparing the annual report to be issued by the Forum as well as other administrative and financial matters.