Growth and opportunity, London 2019

I was delighted to be in Jordan this week, a country steeped in history and culture, a trading hub for the region from the age of the Nabateans in Petra, with a strong sense of identity and enterprise. Today, Jordan is a beacon of hope in the Middle East and a steadfast ally for Britain on the frontline of conflict and instability.

A stable and prosperous Jordan is in your nation’s interests, it is in the interests of the UK and it is in the interests of our partners around the world. As our prime minister Theresa May said when she visited Jordan last year, we want to deepen the partnership between our two countries, for our mutual security, stability and prosperity. That is why we are hosting an international conference in London in February 2019 to build support for Jordan’s vision of growth and development.

Be assured, your government is driving this conference and will ensure it delivers for you, the people of Jordan. I have been in Amman this week, to consult Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, his ministerial colleagues and the Royal Court on how best the UK can help maximise international backing for their vision.

The conference will be an opportunity for Jordan to set out to leaders from global business and finance the commercial opportunities available in Jordan and beyond.

The government’s ambitious plans for reform mean the country will be an increasingly attractive place to invest. The power of the private sector will act as an engine of growth. You have exciting possibilities in sectors as diverse as tourism, tech, high value professional services and logistics. The conference in London will enable Jordan to put its potential on display.

Just last weekend, the first EasyJet flight touched down in Aqaba, opening a direct route for tourists from London. It is telling that one of the UK’s most recognisable travel brands sees the potential of Jordan as a market. Others will too. Expedia’s software development hub in Amman is already thriving, as is your renewable energy sector.

Jordan needs quality jobs, for today’s young people and tomorrow’s. Creating these jobs will not happen overnight and reform will be difficult, but the rewards will be lasting. Jordan’s young, educated and highly motivated workforce can be Jordan’s greatest resource.

I met a group of youth leaders this week. Their message was simple: unlock private sector investment to create jobs, give us the opportunities to drive growth, let our talents blossom. That is why the UK will continue to back investing in the education and skills of Jordan’s young people as the best way to secure the country’s future and maximise the huge potential of your population. 

The London forum will bring global CEOs, international investors and world leaders together. But it will not have achieved its aims unless its impact is felt by ordinary people in Jordan, young men and women and refugees.

Jordan has shown enormous generosity in recent years in taking large numbers of refugees into its protection. The UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) has invested around JD436 million in supporting those efforts. We are conscious of the needs of those Jordanians least able to fend for themselves. Refugees need support, but so too do the Jordanian communities who host them. That is why half of DfID’s aid in Jordan now goes to these communities and why this week we announced a further JD1.8 million of technical assistance for the National Aid Fund to help the government of Jordan expand support for vulnerable Jordanians.

Aid alone is not the solution. We want to use our budget to help build developing economies like Jordan to give them long-term sustainability and self-reliance. We know that no country can tackle these issues without economic growth. It is the private sector that will provide the jobs Jordan needs. Britain can help bring business and investors to the table.

The conference next year takes place near the city of London, the unrivalled hub of international investment. The UK is and will remain home to great universities, research centres, science and technology institutions. We have world-class armed forces and a global diplomatic network. These are all benefits we can use in partnership with your country to help build Jordan’s prosperity.

An open, tolerant, prosperous Jordan is in the UK’s interest. The UK will continue to be a partner Jordan can rely on. Just as Petra was the commercial hub for the Nabateans, the private sector investment today can be the engine of growth for current and future generations, giving all Jordanians the opportunities they deserve.

The writer is the permanent secretary of the UK’s Department for International Development. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times