Our Vision

Jordan faces enormous challenges as it moves into the 21st century. The purpose of Jordan Vision 2020 (JV2020) is to ensure that we are proactive in shaping our response to those challenges rather than being overwhelmed by them.

Jordan Vision 2020 is an ambitious initiative that was launched in 1999 and endorsed by His Majesty King Abdullah II in 2000. It represents an economic blueprint for Jordan, and reflects an unprecedented collective effort by private sector organizations to bring about reform, modernization and development to create a better Jordan by 2020.

The Jordan Vision 2020 initiative was spearheaded by the Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA) in cooperation with 26 Jordanian business associations. The ultimate goal is to double Jordan’s per capita real gross domestic product (GDP), by the year 2020. This would increase Jordan’s per capita real income from approximately 1,100 Dinars, for 2000, to 2,200 Dinars by 2020. In other words, the Jordanian citizen would be able to double the consumption of goods and services in that year.

To achieve the stated objective by the year 2020, the Jordanian economy needs to grow at a rate that exceeds the expected population growth and inflation. In other words, in addition to a growth factor of 3.5% a year, we need to match the 2.8% population growth and 1.6% average inflation. This translates into a need to reach an annual growth rate in nominal GDP that exceeds 8%. Since 1999, Jordan’s nominal GDP growth rate has not exceeded 6%. This goal is therefore extremely challenging to achieve. It is not impossible, however. Several countries, including India, China, and Ireland have achieved similar growth through increased exports and investment and Jordan itself achieved high growth rates in the late seventies and early eighties.
The environment now, is more competitive. Change and reform will be necessary to release all of the potentials, but Jordan will also need to transform its performance by taking a fully integrated approach which is the central theme of JV2020.

Phase II takes JV2020 from macroeconomic strategy into implementation. During phase II, business associations are currently involved in developing sector strategies that aim at translating the goals of JV 2020 into sustainable growth, with a focus on increasing exports and attracting investment per economic sector.

Phase II provides for a series of bi-monthly economic roundtable meetings between sector representatives. These meetings, which ensued in January 2004, bring together leaders from Jordan’s public and private sectors to share progress in the process of sectored strategic planning.

Some of the sectors currently represented in phase II are educational tourism, food processing, engineering consultancy, Dead Sea products, chemical industries, tourism,

IT, management consultancy, pharmaceuticals, fruits and vegetables and electronics and electrical components.

The results of the ongoing meetings and final Jordan Vision 2020 plan will be integrated and presented, upon completion, to government and the public through a national communication campaign to ensure all Jordanians are inspired to help in creating a better Jordan.

Participating Associations

The associations currently involved in creating sector strategies and in the development effort under Phase II include:

• American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan (JABA)

• Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC)

• Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI)

• Amman World Trade Center (AWTC)

• Engineering Offices Committee (EOC)

• Institute of Management Consultants (IMC)

• int@j

• Jordan Association of Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers (JAPM)

• Jordan Exporters and Producers Association for Fruits and Vegetables (JEPAFV)

• Jordan Exporters Association (JEA)

• Jordan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA)

• Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association (JITOA)

• Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA)

• Zarqa Chamber of Industry (ZCI)