Dr. Hamad Kasasbeh

The question today is not whether the Jordanian economy is growing, but whether it is growing to the extent allowed by its true potential. Growth alone is not sufficient if it remains within limits that do not meaningfully improve employment, income, and living standards. The issue is no longer just a figure in an economic report; it is a strategic direction that will shape the economy over the coming decade.

Jordan has successfully maintained important monetary and financial stability in a turbulent regional environment. This is a genuine strength that should be built upon. However, stability by nature protects balance; it does not automatically raise the ceiling. An economy can be stable yet still operate below its full productive capacity if productivity does not improve and resources are not redirected toward higher value-added activities.

Growth that remains within a narrow annual range may preserve continuity, but it is insufficient to generate a qualitative shift in the labor market or in average income levels. In contrast, growth driven by higher productivity, improved capital efficiency, and a deeper productive base creates better jobs, higher wages, and greater resilience against shocks.

This is why redefining the concept of growth in Jordan is essential. The issue is not merely expanding activity, but transforming its nature. Is investment flowing into traditional, low-complexity sectors, or into industrial, technological, and export-oriented activities capable of raising national productivity? The difference between these paths accumulates year after year, eventually creating a significant gap in income levels and employment opportunities.

Raising the economic ceiling also requires a more efficient public administration—one that shortens procedural timelines, reduces uncertainty costs, and provides investors with clear and consistent rules. Time is an invisible production factor, and every administrative delay directly affects economic returns. An administration that manages transformation does more than preserve balance; it creates an environment where resources move toward higher-value uses.

In this context, smart partnerships between the public and private sectors represent a key lever for transformation. Such partnerships are not merely about sharing financing or risks; they are about aligning efforts to raise productivity, deepen value chains, and turn investments into genuine growth engines that translate into employment, income gains, and economic stability.

Similarly, despite the strength of Jordan’s banking sector, stability alone is not enough. What is needed is a gradual and well-calibrated redirection of part of the financial system toward higher-productivity sectors, making long-term productive investment a rational choice rather than a risky exception. The direction capital takes today will define the structure of tomorrow’s economy.

These questions form the core of a book I have been working on, titled “The Possible Economy in Jordan: Its Potential and the Path to Raising Its Productive Capacity.” The central argument is that Jordan does not suffer from a lack of potential, but from a gap between what is available and what is effectively utilized. Raising the economic ceiling is not a slogan; it is a gradual, structured process built on productivity, deepening the productive base, reshaping the sectoral structure, and strengthening institutional partnerships.

Ultimately, this is not merely a technical matter, but a strategic choice. We can either continue managing the existing reality within its current limits, or move confidently and consistently toward managing the country’s untapped potential. An economy that raises its productivity raises employment and income alongside it—and that improvement is directly reflected in people’s lives. The fundamental question remains: are we satisfied with the current ceiling, or are we ready to raise it?