Balanced Regional Development in Jordan: Between Reality and Ambition
The gap between Amman and other governorates remains one of Jordan’s deepest economic and social challenges. Despite repeated government visits and field meetings, unemployment stays around 21%, with even higher rates in some areas. This shows that jobs and investments are still concentrated in the capital and central regions at the expense of others. Poverty tells a similar story. The national rate exceeds 22%, and several governorates report higher levels. Public services are unevenly distributed—more than half of the country’s hospitals and hospital beds are located in the capital, while many governorates still lack proper infrastructure and healthcare. Improving living standards in these areas is essential for real national development. Despite government tours and programs, poverty, unemployment, and growth indicators have changed little. Years of plans have not brought visible improvements in jobs, investment, or services. The challenge now is not planning but execution and measurable results that people can feel. Balanced regional development is not a slogan. It is a pillar of social stability and national security. Fairly sharing the benefits of growth prevents poverty and unemployment from concentrating in certain areas. It also reduces internal migration to Amman and builds local economies that strengthen national resilience. A major barrier to progress is the limited financial and administrative decentralization. Local councils still lack the authority to manage resources or attract investments that meet their local priorities. Without empowering these councils, governorates will remain dependent on the center, and development will remain slow and uneven. No real progress can be made without developmental accountability—linking local spending to results such as job creation, service quality, and local GDP growth. Accountability for outcomes is the best guarantee that public money will be used efficiently and make a real difference in people’s lives. The gaps in education and healthcare between Amman and other regions remain a key source of inequality. They weaken human capital and limit each governorate’s ability to attract skilled labor and investment. Improving education and health in the periphery is not only a social need; it is a strategic tool for productivity and equal opportunity. Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision (2022–2033) sets goals of 5.5% annual growth, 41 billion dinars in investments, and one million new jobs. But success should not be judged by national numbers alone. It depends on how fairly growth is distributed across regions. Large projects remain concentrated in limited areas, so investment incentives must be linked to real job creation in less developed governorates. As the 2026 budget approaches, the government must restructure spending priorities to reflect regional justice. Capital spending should focus on productive projects and vital services in each governorate, based on real local needs, not uniform formulas. Regional development must become part of the executive program of the modernization vision to ensure long-term balance and inclusion. Public money should be guided by the idea of “developmental return per dinar spent.” Success should be measured by impact—new jobs, better services, and stronger infrastructure—not by spending size. Each dinar must create visible value. Spending must become an investment in fairness, growth, and public trust. The road to balanced regional development requires a shift in mindset—from central control to local empowerment, and from spending to impact. The 2026 budget will test the government’s commitment to turning its vision into reality. What Jordan needs today is not higher spending, but smarter spending that makes regional balance a true measure of national progress.
The gap between Amman and other governorates remains one of Jordan’s deepest economic and social challenges. Despite repeated government visits and field meetings, unemployment stays around 21%, with even higher rates in some areas. This shows that jobs and investments are still concentrated in the capital and central regions at the expense of others. Poverty tells a similar story. The national rate exceeds 22%, and several governorates report higher levels. Public services are unevenly distributed—more than half of the country’s hospitals and hospital beds are located in the capital, while many governorates still lack proper infrastructure and healthcare. Improving living standards in these areas is essential for real national development. Despite government tours and programs, poverty, unemployment, and growth indicators have changed little. Years of plans have not brought visible improvements in jobs, investment, or services. The challenge now is not planning but execution and measurable results that people can feel. Balanced regional development is not a slogan. It is a pillar of social stability and national security. Fairly sharing the benefits of growth prevents poverty and unemployment from concentrating in certain areas. It also reduces internal migration to Amman and builds local economies that strengthen national resilience. A major barrier to progress is the limited financial and administrative decentralization. Local councils still lack the authority to manage resources or attract investments that meet their local priorities. Without empowering these councils, governorates will remain dependent on the center, and development will remain slow and uneven. No real progress can be made without developmental accountability—linking local spending to results such as job creation, service quality, and local GDP growth. Accountability for outcomes is the best guarantee that public money will be used efficiently and make a real difference in people’s lives. The gaps in education and healthcare between Amman and other regions remain a key source of inequality. They weaken human capital and limit each governorate’s ability to attract skilled labor and investment. Improving education and health in the periphery is not only a social need; it is a strategic tool for productivity and equal opportunity. Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision (2022–2033) sets goals of 5.5% annual growth, 41 billion dinars in investments, and one million new jobs. But success should not be judged by national numbers alone. It depends on how fairly growth is distributed across regions. Large projects remain concentrated in limited areas, so investment incentives must be linked to real job creation in less developed governorates. As the 2026 budget approaches, the government must restructure spending priorities to reflect regional justice. Capital spending should focus on productive projects and vital services in each governorate, based on real local needs, not uniform formulas. Regional development must become part of the executive program of the modernization vision to ensure long-term balance and inclusion. Public money should be guided by the idea of “developmental return per dinar spent.” Success should be measured by impact—new jobs, better services, and stronger infrastructure—not by spending size. Each dinar must create visible value. Spending must become an investment in fairness, growth, and public trust. The road to balanced regional development requires a shift in mindset—from central control to local empowerment, and from spending to impact. The 2026 budget will test the government’s commitment to turning its vision into reality. What Jordan needs today is not higher spending, but smarter spending that makes regional balance a true measure of national progress.
The gap between Amman and other governorates remains one of Jordan’s deepest economic and social challenges. Despite repeated government visits and field meetings, unemployment stays around 21%, with even higher rates in some areas. This shows that jobs and investments are still concentrated in the capital and central regions at the expense of others. Poverty tells a similar story. The national rate exceeds 22%, and several governorates report higher levels. Public services are unevenly distributed—more than half of the country’s hospitals and hospital beds are located in the capital, while many governorates still lack proper infrastructure and healthcare. Improving living standards in these areas is essential for real national development. Despite government tours and programs, poverty, unemployment, and growth indicators have changed little. Years of plans have not brought visible improvements in jobs, investment, or services. The challenge now is not planning but execution and measurable results that people can feel. Balanced regional development is not a slogan. It is a pillar of social stability and national security. Fairly sharing the benefits of growth prevents poverty and unemployment from concentrating in certain areas. It also reduces internal migration to Amman and builds local economies that strengthen national resilience. A major barrier to progress is the limited financial and administrative decentralization. Local councils still lack the authority to manage resources or attract investments that meet their local priorities. Without empowering these councils, governorates will remain dependent on the center, and development will remain slow and uneven. No real progress can be made without developmental accountability—linking local spending to results such as job creation, service quality, and local GDP growth. Accountability for outcomes is the best guarantee that public money will be used efficiently and make a real difference in people’s lives. The gaps in education and healthcare between Amman and other regions remain a key source of inequality. They weaken human capital and limit each governorate’s ability to attract skilled labor and investment. Improving education and health in the periphery is not only a social need; it is a strategic tool for productivity and equal opportunity. Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision (2022–2033) sets goals of 5.5% annual growth, 41 billion dinars in investments, and one million new jobs. But success should not be judged by national numbers alone. It depends on how fairly growth is distributed across regions. Large projects remain concentrated in limited areas, so investment incentives must be linked to real job creation in less developed governorates. As the 2026 budget approaches, the government must restructure spending priorities to reflect regional justice. Capital spending should focus on productive projects and vital services in each governorate, based on real local needs, not uniform formulas. Regional development must become part of the executive program of the modernization vision to ensure long-term balance and inclusion. Public money should be guided by the idea of “developmental return per dinar spent.” Success should be measured by impact—new jobs, better services, and stronger infrastructure—not by spending size. Each dinar must create visible value. Spending must become an investment in fairness, growth, and public trust. The road to balanced regional development requires a shift in mindset—from central control to local empowerment, and from spending to impact. The 2026 budget will test the government’s commitment to turning its vision into reality. What Jordan needs today is not higher spending, but smarter spending that makes regional balance a true measure of national progress.
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Balanced Regional Development in Jordan: Between Reality and Ambition
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