King urges public-private partnership to develop ICT sector

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday underscored the pivotal role of the information and communications technology sector in supporting the national economy.   

During a meeting with ICT sector representatives at Al Husseiniya Palace, the King stressed the importance of developing the sector and investing in it further, according to a Royal Court statement. 

Priority should be given to dealing with the problems encountered by the sector over the past years to reach a new stage of productivity, efficiency and competitiveness that boost Jordan's status and investment climate at the regional and global levels, His Majesty noted at the meeting, also attended by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and several local officials. 

King Abdullah called for building a stronger partnership between the public and the private sectors to achieve the aspired progress and deal with the challenges facing the ICT sector.

The meeting is part of efforts focusing on the future of the economy and the role of the ICT sector in that future, according to the Royal Court statement.  

The King urged the government to take the sector’s economic and the social aspects into account when implementing the 10-year economic blueprint, highlighting the role it can play in providing jobs for trained and qualified Jordanians, and subsequently alleviate the problems of poverty and unemployment.

During the meeting, King Abdullah urged the sector’s representatives and investors to benefit from the opportunities that the World Economic Forum offers.

The Kingdom will host the forum’s meeting on the Middle East and North Africa in May, and it is deemed as an opportunity to highlight Jordan’s achievements.  

His Majesty stressed the importance of transforming challenges into opportunities, noting that utilising Jordan’s stable and safe investment climate will definitely lead to achieving better economic growth. 

Jordan, despite regional circumstances, is forging ahead with developing various economic sectors, especially the ICT sector, the King told attendees.

With the ICT sector facing several challenges that were highlighted by its representatives, the King called for a review of the sector’s performance and for drawing up a strategy that helps improve its competitiveness and implement several key projects to boost the economy. 

Discussions at the meeting covered sector-related legislation and proposed amendments that can develop the ICT industry and attract more investments, according to the statement. 

Sector representatives called for unifying its administrative and investment departments, asking that they all be connected to one single entity, to benefit investors by reducing bureaucracy and streamlining procedures. 

They also pointed out that further attention should be paid to the level of ICT graduates and their proficiency to ensure they meet the requirements of the labour market.

Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh and King’s Office Director Jafar Hassan also attended the meeting. 

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, following the meeting, ICT Minister Majd Shweikeh said the ministry is currently focusing on the issue of the taxes imposed on the sector, and working to guarantee stable legislation, noting that she will convey all issues raised at the meeting to the Cabinet for discussion. 

ICT representatives interviewed by Petra said the meeting was fruitful, highlighting the positive outlook for the sector.