AmCham-Jordan Hosts International Experts to discuss Opportunities in Jordan’s Service Industry

The American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan (AmCham-Jordan) brings together global policy makers in the services sector, trade, investment and innovation; Hamid Mamdouh, Senior Counsel, King & Spalding, LLP and Former Director of the Trade in Services and Investment Division of the World Trade Organization, Luis Rubalcaba, Professor of Economics, University of Alcalá, and Roberto Echandi,  Investment Policy Global Lead of the Investment Climate Unit of the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, World Bank Group, to discuss “Opportunities in Jordan’s Service Industry”. The event was sponsored by Crystel, a leading business process outsourcing (BPO) provider designed to unlock businesses potential while enhancing customer relationships and brand perception.

The online seminar shed light on the important economic role of the services sector for Jordan which contributes more than 60% of GDP and more than 70% of employment, and the need to direct targeted reforms and support programs to enhance the sectors performance and leverage Jordan’s exciting completive advantages in specific sectors such as IT, health and tourism. Speakers agreed that the Jordanian services sector holds the greatest promise for further employment especially for youth and women and for overall national economic growth, as a backbone for social and economic development. Noting that for Jordan to capture these gains more business enabling environment reforms and investment opening are needed as over 50% of trade in services comes on the form of FDI. 

Participants in the session from leading Jordanian companies as well as from the region and the United States, stressed the importance of private sector lead reforms that are devised through open dialogue and partnership with the Government. 

The session also discussed the services chapter in the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement, which can help maximize the benefits of free trade but that more is needed to remove national obstacles that hinder services trade growth so critical for Jordan’s small economy.

The seminar’s was moderated by Mohammed Bataineh, AmCham-Jordan Chairman and is the 6th event in a series of activities and programs support from USIAD Middle East Economic Growth Best Practices Project (MEG) held throughout 2021 to mark the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Jordan-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.