Amman: Jordanian industry has achieved significant milestones, expanding its reach to over 150 global markets since the early days of the country's establishment. The sector has transitioned from hand-made manufacturing in the 1920s to producing goods sold worldwide, contributing approximately 25% to the national gross domestic product (GDP) and accounting for 90% of the Kingdom's national exports.
According to Jordan News Agency, Fathi Jaghbir, President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI), emphasized the industrial sector's pivotal role in Jordan's economy, describing it as one of the largest productive sectors. He highlighted the sector's capacity for approximately JD18 billion in annual industrial production, with a value-added contribution of about 46%.
Jaghbir noted the sector's evolution, now producing 1,500 Jordanian products across diverse industrial activities and sub-sectors in 22,000 facilities. These operations employ over 268,000 workers, predominantly Jordanians. Furthermore, the sector's development and competitiveness are underscored by its ranking as the top manufacturing sector in the Middle East in terms of value-added, as reported by the World Economic Forum in recent years.
Jaghbir also detailed the growth of Jordanian industrial exports, which rose from JD7 million in 1964 to JD7.7 billion last year, reflecting ongoing Royal support aimed at achieving self-reliance. He expressed that the sector's success story is central to the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV), prioritizing comprehensive and sustainable economic growth.
The EMV outlines ambitious goals for the sector, aiming to increase productivity from JD5.3 billion to JD11.1 billion by 2033. Additionally, the vision projects a rise in exports from JD4.8 billion in 2021 to approximately JD19.8 billion by 2033. The industrial sector is also expected to provide nearly a third of the targeted 314,000 job opportunities outlined in the vision.