By : JD News Desk
Jordan Daily – Jordan is committed to reform and economic growth despite the regional challenges and the impact of the Gaza conflict, former deputy prime minister Jawad Al-Anani said on Tuesday.
Al-Anani, who spoke at a dialogue meeting organized by the Amman Group for Future Dialogues, said King Abdullah II has urged the private sector to participate in the modernization process and expressed confidence in Jordan’s ability to cope with crises and support the Palestinian cause.
He said the king had met with businessmen and economists and stressed that Jordan’s economic strength was also a strength for the Palestinians, who appreciated Jordan’s solidarity and diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli aggression.
Al-Anani said Jordan’s strategic location would enable it to become a hub for regional cooperation and trade, especially after the establishment of peace and the implementation of projects such as railways, oil and gas pipelines, and land transport between Europe and the Gulf.
He also said Jordan would also focus on restructuring its existing capital, investing in human resources, rescuing troubled companies, reviving the tourism and health sectors, and finding solutions for electricity prices, water scarcity, service delivery, education and skills development.
“Jordan had new and promising opportunities to join the international arrangements related to the Belt and Road Initiative and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor , and to become an important trade center in the international supply chain, which would create about 40,000 job opportunities, Anani noted.
The former Royal Court chief indicated that Jordan is likely to be a key player in joint investment with Palestine, and to sign free trade agreements with the Gulf states, Iraq, Syria and Turkey, and possibly Iran in the future to access the markets of Central Asia. He also called for opening up to African countries and developing agricultural production and achieving food security.
He said the Netanyahu government and its religious extremists are politically doomed, and expected that Benny Gantz or another military figure would replace him and be ready to negotiate with the Palestinians, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Anani pointed out the United States wants a permanent peace between Arabs and Israel, and ruled out any displacement of the Palestinians. He said Gaza would witness reconstruction, prisoners release, and gas exploitation.