Amman: Minister of State for Public Sector Development Badria Al Balbisi announced the activation of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) system, a new framework aimed at enhancing the development of legislation and public policies. This initiative seeks to ensure that objectives are achieved efficiently and effectively.
According to Jordan News Agency, Al Balbisi, speaking on behalf of the prime minister, emphasized at the launch event that this system marks a significant shift in Jordan's administrative and legislative reform. It demonstrates the government's commitment to embedding good governance principles in decision-making processes, developed in collaboration with the Impact Assessment Unit at the Prime Ministry, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Al Balbisi highlighted that the framework aims to transform national priorities into actionable steps, improving the quality of laws and policies, ensuring coherence, and enhancing their impact on citizens, the business environment, and the economy. She stated that the focus is shifting from merely producing laws and policies to evaluating their quality and actual impact. The new system is designed to modernize public administration, strengthen transparency and accountability, and align with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II and HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II as part of the public sector modernization roadmap.
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan noted the establishment of an online platform to involve stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society, in reviewing draft laws and providing feedback. This approach aims to foster collaborative decision-making. Toukan also mentioned ongoing efforts to review the system's implementation and update the government's impact assessment policy guide to ensure its adaptability to new challenges.
Guido Kemmerling, charg© d'affaires at the German Embassy, underscored the importance of continuous policy review to address evolving challenges. He acknowledged Jordan's commitment to political, economic, and administrative reforms and emphasized the need to translate policy and legislative frameworks into practical implementations to deliver tangible results for citizens.
The event featured a presentation by Mai Ulayan from the Good Regulation Unit at the Prime Ministry, focusing on institutionalizing regulatory impact assessment functions. The system, approved in February, includes ex-ante, ex-post, and baseline assessments to ensure quality legislation, stability, and evidence-based decision-making. It officially came into force on September 2, following its publication in the Official Gazette.