Amman, 14 March 2022 - UNDP and Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF) signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in providing analysis, policy dialogue, and advocacy aimed at informing key national development processes relevant to local economic development. Particular focus will be given to equitable budget allocations as part of Jordan’s decentralisation reforms as well as economic aspects of local investment decisions both by the government and the private sector.

Joint activities will inform UNDP’s initiatives, and JSF efforts towards achieving economic development, sustainable growth, and prosperity for all Jordanians, leveraging respective comparative advantages, expertise, and partners. The collaboration is expected to support legislation and policies that contribute towards enhancing the economic environment.

“Every country’s fiscal relations is an evolving system, continually responding to changes in economic, demographic and political variables. I am pleased that UNDP and JSF will work together and with national partners to gather the best global experiences, generate reliable and accurate data, and develop quality advice on local investment policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Jordan” said Resident Representative of UNDP Jordan Randa Aboul-Hosn.

The Jordan Strategy Forum's CEO, Nesreen Barakat, stated that cooperation with the United Nations Development Program falls within the framework of expanding the circle of partnerships & collaborations with institutions and organizations of common interest whose aim is to formulate a local development index at the governorate level in Jordan. The index includes five areas (with sub-indicators) and these are health, education, infrastructure, economic activities, and social conditions. This effort should provide a base for the development of the governorates, which will in turn, reflect on the prosperity of all citizens of the governorates.