Improving trade to create employment (T4E)

Context

One million jobseekers are expected to enter the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s job market over the coming decade. This poses a challenge to Jordan’s economy, which has been strained by multiple regional crises – including the influx of Syrian refugees. As a result, the overall unemployment rate amounted to 23 per cent in 2022.

Therefore, under the Economic Modernisation Vision 2030, Jordan aims at export-oriented growth to generate employment opportunities. Exporting companies require an enabling environment, effective trade services and efficient procedures and processes to increase trade volume and employment opportunities. Especially Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians, particularly women, can benefit from increased opportunities through trade.

Objective

Jordan is improving the conditions for companies to enhance their trade performance with a focus on employment opportunities for vulnerable Jordanians, Syrian refugees, and women.

Approach

T4E supports the implementation of:

• Initiating and sustaining a structured public-private dialogue format (completed)
• Development of demand-based trade-promotion services and improvement of existing ones
• Simplifying trade procedures and processes; reducing direct and indirect trade transaction costs through trade facilitation measures
• Promoting recruitment strategies and employment services in the industrial sector and its value chain

Implementing partners: JORDAN EXPORTS, Business Professional Women Association Amman, Jordan Customs, East Amman Industrial Investors Association, Irbid Chamber of Industry, Zarqa Chamber of Industry; sequa gGmbH, International Trade Centre, UNCTAD, Education for Employment, PEM Consult, ICON-INSTITUTE Consulting Group, GOPA Group, International Rescue Committee.

Last update: March 2023