Where are the Women in the Workforce?
If we’re really serious about improving our economy over the long-term, many more women will have to join the workforce. By Khalid W. Wazani Although Jordan’s population is almost equally divided...
View ArticleJordanian Property Buyers in Dubai: the Reality Behind the Stats
Even though the statistics show Jordanians are snapping up millions of dollars worth of Dubai real estate, it doesn’t mean cash is flooding out of Jordan to do so. By Jawad J. Abbassi Dubai’s property...
View ArticleIran Nuclear Deal Set to Boost Dubai Economy
Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers is expected to create a raft of trade and investment opportunities for Dubai, which is widely seen as Tehran’s stepping stone to global markets. Iran’s nuclear...
View ArticleThe Refugee Crisis: Don’t Forget Jordan
Europe’s refugee crisis shouldn’t blind the international community to the heavy economic toll the Syrian conflict is having on Jordan. By Khalid W. Wazani Two years ago, the Ministry of Planning and...
View ArticleBudget Expectations
Whatever the government unveils in next year’s budget, policy makers should produce an economic blueprint that balances realism with ambition. By Khalid W. Wazani The government is due to unveil the...
View ArticleGet on the Bus
Renewed work on a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system marks a positive development for Jordan, promising improved connectivity in and around the capital city. Jordan’s burgeoning and rapidly urbanizing...
View ArticleBudget 2016: The Numbers Don’t Add Up
The forecasts contained within the government’s recently-unveiled 2016 budget bill fail to convince. By Khalid W. Wazani The government has yet again built a budget based on unrealistic assumptions. In...
View ArticleTime to Build
Jordan has signed multimillion dollar funding deals for a wide array of new infrastructure projects. But not everyone is happy about who gets to build them. Jordan has inked more than $600 million...
View ArticleSpotting Opportunities
Everyone agrees the coming year will be a tough one for the region’s economies. But some countries will fare much better than others because their decision makers were bold enough to seek out new...
View ArticleUpbeat Outlook for Jordan’s Economy
The Kingdom’s economy performed well last year despite regional unrest, and its upward trajectory looks set to continue in 2016. Steady reform and targeted growth bolstered investor confidence in...
View ArticleRestoring Our Humanity
A disturbing report by local NGO Tamkeen, which seeks to improve social protection for marginalized groups and victims of human rights violations, revealed that many migrant domestic workers in Jordan...
View ArticlePerhaps the Sky isn’t Falling
A rational evaluation of the state of the global economy is needed to counter the effect of the doom and gloom merchants causing jitters in markets. By Khalid W. Wazani Although in economic theory,...
View ArticleJordan Boosts Healthcare to Meet Demand
Progress on two new medical facilities, located in Irbid and Amman, could add much-needed capacity to Jordan’s health sector as it copes with rising demand for healthcare services. At the start of the...
View ArticleMaking the Pledges Count
Jordan was thrown a lifeline at February’s international donor conference for Syrian refugees. But for the billions of dollars pledged to make a lasting impact, they must be spent on genuine long-term...
View ArticleAgriculture Primed for Turnaround
Jordanian farmers are set to benefit from new export routes and a drive to incorporate thousands of Syrian refugees into the domestic workforce. Oxford Business Group Despite high domestic production,...
View ArticleSetting Priorities
While it appears unenthused about taking the simple steps needed to create a sovereign investment fund, the government has been more than happy to burn through foreign aid and rack up debt with little...
View ArticleAviation Sector Aims for New Heights
Increasing capacity in Jordan’s aviation sector could hold the key to growing the tourism sector and improving inter-regional connectivity over the next five years. Annual passenger traffic through...
View ArticlePlease, No More Stop-Gap Governments
If we are about to get another government sworn in, let’s at least have it filled with genuinely reform-minded experts who can tackle the long-ignored challenges facing our economy. By Khalid W. Wazani...
View ArticleFacilitating Finance
Jordan is intensifying efforts to provide support for startups and SMEs by easing access to financing. Despite some continued obstacles to obtaining conventional bank finance, rising public and private...
View ArticleRemembering ‘The Greatest’
We can all learn a great deal from the way the late Muhammad Ali lived his life. By Osama Al Sharif I met Muhammad Ali, briefly, when I was a boy of eight in Doha in 1968. He was visiting... The post...
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