Ammon News - Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply and Minister of Labor Yousef Shamali said that the economic modernization vision aims to provide one million jobs in the next 10 years and attract investments valued at about JD41 billion.

Speaking to a meeting with the members of Zarqa Chamber of Industry's Board of Directors on Saturday, said the government, under royal directives, is working as per a comprehensive reform vision in the political and economic fields and modernizing the public sector, in order to provide a decent life for citizens, enhance their participation in decision-making and improve government services, thus, increasing growth rates and providing jobs.

Shamali added that the national economy is recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts, and some sectors have begun to achieve clear growth this year, as the government has developed many plans and programs to support the industrial sector, the latest of which was the Industry Support Fund, which will be officially launched in the coming period.

He explained that the fund aims to support industrial companies and increase their export capacity to all markets, as JD80 million were allocated to the fund for three years, in addition to many other tools that contributed to the national industry development.

He stressed the government's keenness and care for developing the industrial sector, enhancing its competitiveness and enabling it to deal with various difficulties, due to its great contribution to the national economy, providing jobs, increasing national exports and stimulating the business environment.

Shamali said that the ministry is keen to develop a real and effective partnership with the industrial sector and other sectors, which will reflect positively on the economic situation and reduce poverty and unemployment rates.

He pointed out that the economic modernization vision for the next 10 years includes basic pillars to support the national industry and increase its investment attractiveness.

"We depend on the private sector to achieve many of the targets included in the economic modernization vision, as the public sector is no longer able to absorb more employees except for about 10,000 jobs annually, the majority of which are witin the Ministries of Health and Education," the minister added.

He pointed out that national exports recorded a growth rate of 45.6 per cent valued at JD5.454 billion in the first eight months of this year.

For his part, President of the Zarqa Chamber of Industry, Fares Hammoudeh, and the board members, highlighted obstacles, problems and observations that were recently focused on by industrial sector stakeholders during trade and industry chambers' election campaigns, that were recently held, and in various events.

Shamali promised to hold an extended meeting later with the industrial sector to discuss all points and observations related to the industrial sector to stimulate production and provide all possible facilities.