Project profile — Support to Jordan's Growth Matrix

• Jordan (100.00%)

• Monetary institutions:
Monetary institutions (24020) (25.00%)
Formal sector financial intermediaries (24030) (25.00%)
• Business support services and institutions:
Business support services and institutions (25010) (25.00%)
Business Development Services (25030) (25.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)

This project aims to provide technical assistance and analytics to help implement the reforms identified in the Government of Jordan's five-year Equitable Growth and Job Creation Transformation Matrix, and to provide resources to support an enhanced reform secretariat within the Government. The project works to support the Government of Jordan in implementing its Transformation Matrix to achieve: (1) sound governance and economic management; (2) increased private sector growth and competitiveness; (3) improved labor markets and social safety nets; and (4) improved efficiency and effectiveness in transportation, water, and energy sectors. The project also aims to support concrete reform initiatives such as the introduction of an e-procurement regime, new frameworks for public investment management and public-private partnership, reduced costs of doing business, and a graduation strategy for recipients of the National Assistance Fund – Jordan’s social support mechanism.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced effectiveness of design, coordination and implementation of the reform agenda, as well as follow up of policy reform; (2) improved efficiency and transparency of the public procurement, public investment management and public private partnership frameworks and functions; and (3) enhanced economic growth and implementation of economic reforms including safety net programs.

Results achieved as of December 2020 include: (1) established a Reform Secretariat at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in Jordan with particular attention to post COVID-19 reform priorities; (2) established instructions through the National Aid Fund to facilitate the selection and distribution of Jordan’s Emergency Cash Transfer payment to 237,000 households affected by COVID-19; (3) launched and implemented the Investor Grievance Mechanism and trained 20 Jordan Investment Commission on Effective Dispute Resolution through the Grievance Committee; (4) enrolled 50,000 households in Takaful, a type of co-operative insurance, out of a commitment of 85,000 households; (5) designed, formulated and executed key energy sector reforms such as improving electricity support benefits to households, providing support to the Energy & Minerals Regulatory Commission on the Quarterly Tariff Reviews in 2019. Also, developing a National Electric Power Company Debt Optimization Plan adopted by the Council of Ministers and reviewing significant Power Purchase Agreements; (6) implemented the Doing Business reform advisory project in July 2020 and provided detailed reform recommendations to improve six of their indicators. This project improved processes for starting a business, getting a construction permit, registering property, protecting minority investors and trading across borders and enforcing contracts; (7) launched the Foreign Direct Investment and reform work program and maintained stakeholder consultations and communications with established plans for the adoption and publication of the law; (8) developed the financial model and roadmap in partnership with the Water Sector Financial Sustainability Roadmap Work Program, the United States Agency for International Development and the German Society for International Cooperation under the coordination of the Minister of Water and Irrigation, Secretary General of Water Authority of Jordan and Jordan Valley Authority; and (9) received approval from the Jordan Growth Steering Committee in 2020 to extablish the agriculture work program.

• Proactive disclosure