Amman, July 28 (Petra) – Representatives of Jordan’s ICT sector reviewed the key accomplishments, challenges and opportunities achieved under the first phase of the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV) during a workshop held Monday at the Royal Hashemite Court.

The workshop, part of the "Future Services Engine" pillar, brought together ICT experts who emphasized that the ten-year Economic Modernization Vision is structured into three phases, with each phase requiring periodic evaluation to ensure its effectiveness.

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), participants said such workshops are crucial for sector development and come at an ideal time for assessing the outcomes of the vision’s first phase.

Amjad Swais, Chairman of the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (int@j), stressed the importance of measuring the impact of initiatives. While the ICT sector is moving in the right direction, he said, more focus is needed on assessing tangible benefits to citizens.

Swais noted that int@j, as a representative of the private sector, plays a key role in supporting ICT growth by facilitating access to new markets, strengthening ties with neighboring countries, and enhancing sector-specific expertise.

Zain Jordan CEO Fahad Al-Jasim echoed these views, stating that such workshops are vital for advancing the telecommunications sector, especially given the Vision’s clearly defined goals. He said telecommunications form a core component of all state sectors and are a major driver of national growth.

Rula Ammuri, President and CEO of Professionals for Smart Technologies (PST), said reviewing the first phase of the Vision enables stakeholders to develop new ideas and refine existing initiatives.

Jordan’s ICT sector enjoys several advantages, including the Kingdom’s strategic location at the crossroads of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, which facilitates regional and international market access. The country also benefits from a large pool of STEM graduates between 5,000 and 8,000 entering the labor market annually as well as a reliable digital infrastructure comprising a robust 4G network, widespread fiber-optic coverage, and emerging 5G services.

The sector is bolstered by a track record of achievements, a strong base of leading companies, growing regional market integration, and agility in business process outsourcing. Revenues in that sub-sector alone more than doubled in two years from $55 million in 2018 to $110 million in 2020. Jordan also enjoys access to 1.5 billion consumers across 161 countries, thanks to seven free trade agreements and various bilateral accords. Government support through incentives has further reinforced the sector’s competitiveness.

Under the Economic Modernization Vision, the sector aims to position Jordan as a regional hub for digital innovation and a launchpad for scalable digital solutions. Objectives include accelerating digital transformation across government institutions, supporting tech startups, and expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship.

Key initiatives launched during the EMV's first phase include preparing a future-ready workforce through training programs aligned with Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, establishing a public data authority to ensure accessibility and informed decision-making, and advancing digital government transformation via public-private partnerships. The government also focused on improving investment incentives and nurturing talent and creating a virtual free zone to serve as a digital innovation hub.

The EMV also emphasizes startup growth, developing a regulatory sandbox to test emerging technologies, setting up a research and development fund, fostering intellectual property creation, deploying 5G services, and launching a dedicated unit for e-government transformation projects.

Among the sector’s most notable first-phase accomplishments are the launch and operation of nine integrated government service centers across eight governorates, with six additional centers planned; digitalization of over 1,600 public services covering 68.5% of targeted services; and the rollout of training and empowerment programs for youth in digital skills to improve employability. The updated version of the Sanad mobile app was also launched, with 1.8 million digital IDs activated by mid-2025.

//Petra// AF

28/07/2025 23:00:19