JBA received IMF Delegation headed by Ms. Kristina Kostial, IMF chief of the IMF Jordan team on Nov. 12th 2015 . The meeting was attended by HE Mr. Thabet Al Taher JBA Vice Chairman , JBA Board Members Awni Saket, Issam Bdeir , Yussri Tahboub , and Hussam Al Hudhud and Mr Tariq Hijazi JBA director . HE Mr. Hamdi Tabba’a welcomed the delegation and explained JBA viewpoints regarding the 3 years Structural Reform Program that was concluded in Aug 2015, and the Gov. economic policy and steps taken to implement the program , he expressed the private sector dissatisfaction with the recent income tax law , he said that the Gov. is mainly concerned with increasing the budget income rather than focusing on the investment climate and attracting foreign investors to maintain the growth and generate jobs. He reviewed the main challenges facing the Jordanian economy especially the energy sector and that the raise in electricity tariff will hurt the industry at a time where the production cost rising affecting the competitiveness of the exports and the Jordanian economy . He called for revising the higher education system and the vocational training programs in order to address the needs for labor in the local market and the Gulf States in order to provide jobs for the youth and reduce unemployment ,and provide incentives for the private sector to higher more local labor force. HE called for reducing the volume of the public administration ,merge the public institutions and adopt strict regulations for the reduction of public spending .
MS Kristina Kostial praised the developments in the Jordanian economy and the Gov. steps to implement the reform program and she explained that IMF will negotiate a new restructuring program for 2016-2018 concentrating on jobs creation, investment environment , reduction of public deficit , and maintaining economic growth .
