"Economic and Social" signs a memorandum of understanding with Jerash Private University

The Economic and Social Council discussed the reality of economic development in Jerash Governorate and the challenges facing the tourism, agriculture, employment, and investment sectors, in light of the Economic Modernization Vision's targets. It emphasized the necessity of developing tourism products, enhancing financing opportunities for productive projects, aligning skills with labor market needs, and expanding the participation of youth and women in economic activity.

This came during the tenth meeting of the Council's groups, which was held in Jerash Governorate and hosted by Jerash Private University, with the participation of officials and representatives from government institutions, the private sector, economic and social actors, and academics, with the aim of identifying local development priorities and discussing practical solutions to the challenges facing the governorate.

The Council and Jerash Private University signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at enhancing cooperation in the fields of education, scientific research, training, and community service. The memorandum includes implementing joint studies and research, organizing scientific and dialogue events, and exchanging expertise, in a way that supports the national development process.

The participants agreed on a set of recommendations, most notably: activating the "Diamond Square" concept that connects Jerash, Ajloun, Irbid, and Mafraq within an integrated tourism route, which would extend the duration of tourist stays and increase tourism spending; providing four-star hotels at reasonable prices; establishing investment funds that provide the necessary capital to support projects and stimulate investment, while emphasizing that weak financing is one of the most prominent challenges facing development projects; and establishing business incubators that support youth and qualify them in creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

In addition to establishing an observatory for skills and opportunities at the level of all governorates to identify labor market needs and link skills to available opportunities, and integrating the roles of relevant authorities to support the agricultural sector and invest in natural capital and link them to food processing and local products.

Stetieh: Promising potential and high unemployment

The President of the Council, Prof. Mousa Shtaiwi, confirmed that Jerash Governorate possesses promising economic, tourism, and agricultural potential, including archaeological sites, forests, environmental reserves, the olive sector, and home-based productive kitchens, which provides opportunities to enhance local development and expand the base of economic activities.

He pointed to the high unemployment rate in the governorate, which reached 22.7%, while it rises among females to 39.8%, emphasizing the necessity of expanding employment opportunities, enhancing women's economic participation, and empowering youth to enter the labor market.

He pointed to challenges facing the governorate, most notably traffic congestion, infrastructure needs, and weak tourism accommodation facilities, which limits its ability to extend the duration of visitors' stays and maximize the economic return from tourism.

He stressed the importance of linking local development plans with the targets of the Economic Modernization Vision, through integration between archaeological tourism and local products, developing smart and sustainable agriculture and food processing, and investing in technical and vocational education and digital skills.

He said that achieving sustainable development in Jerash requires an effective partnership between government institutions, the private sector, governorate councils, municipalities, and civil society organizations, noting that the meeting's outcomes and the participants' proposals will form inputs for developing the recommendations and policies that the Council submits to decision-makers.

Partnership and local development

For his part, the Deputy Governor of Jerash, Dr. Firas Al-Ajalin, emphasized that local development is a participatory responsibility that requires the integration of efforts between government institutions, the private sector, civil society, and universities, and building on the governorate's tourism and agricultural potential and human energy, especially among youth, to turn challenges into real opportunities.

He stressed the need for development dialogues to lead to practical, implementable recommendations based on citizens' needs and priorities, contributing to addressing economic and social challenges and strengthening the partnership between various parties.

In turn, the President of Jerash Private University, Prof. Mohammad Al-Khalaileh, expressed the university's pride in hosting national meetings that promote dialogue and the exchange of views on economic and social issues and unite efforts between national institutions. He pointed to the university's role in serving the local community through its academic programs and outputs that keep pace with labor market needs, and its contribution to supporting the local economy.

Tourism: Between addressing seasonality and maximizing returns

The dialogue session, titled "The Economic Reality in Jerash Governorate and the Economic Modernization Vision," addressed the opportunities available for developing productive sectors. It was moderated by Dr. Shtaiwi with the participation of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jerash Reconstruction Foundation, retired Major General Yousef Al-Dalabih, the Chairman of the Greater Jerash Municipality Committee, Major General Dr. Mohammad Bani Yassin, the Director of Policies and Studies at the Jordan Tourism Board, Ragheed Al-Masri, and the founder and CEO of "MenaITech," Dr. Bashar Hawamdeh.

Al-Masri emphasized the importance of distributing the tourist season in Jerash over multiple periods of the year, which reduces seasonality and ensures the continuity of tourism products and activities. He stressed the need to implement digital campaigns to promote the governorate and enhance partnerships with the private sector to develop services provided to visitors from inside and outside Jordan.

He called for organizing familiarization trips for entities and organizers working in the tourism sector, and intensifying promotion through media and social media platforms. He pointed out that geopolitical instability in the region makes it more difficult to attract tourists, especially foreigners, which requires highlighting the governorate's tourism advantages in future promotional campaigns.

Al-Dalabih pointed to the importance of the Jerash Festival in stimulating tourism, addressing existing challenges, and investing in available opportunities to develop the sector, emphasizing the importance of the role of authorities concerned with tourism promotion in enhancing the festival's impact on sustainable tourism development.

For his part, Bani Yassin called for identifying procedures and initiatives that maximize the economic and social returns of the festival, enhance the benefit of small and medium enterprises, and expand opportunities for members of the local community.

Digital skills and employment

Regarding the employment and digital transformation axis, Dr. Hawamdeh emphasized the importance of developing digital skills among students and graduates, and updating educational curricula to align with labor market requirements, noting that practical experience and acquiring digital skills are key factors in enhancing employment opportunities regardless of geographical distance.

Agriculture and natural capital

Regarding the agricultural sector, the participants stressed the importance of concerted efforts by relevant authorities to support the sector and enhance its ability to contribute to economic development, in addition to investing in the natural capital that the governorate enjoys. They emphasized that linking agricultural and productive activities to food processing and local products contributes to diversifying the economic base and providing new job opportunities, in line with the requirements of sustainable development.

Council studies and committee outcomes

On the sidelines of the session, the Council held its tenth meeting in a closed session, during which it discussed developments related to its studies, primarily the needs of the Jordanian labor market in light of digital transformation and future professions, the reality of drugs and tourism, and the achievements of the standing committees.

It also discussed following up on the recommendations of the study on the reality of women's work in the Jordan Valley, and reviewed its most prominent activities and national partnerships, in addition to setting the date and location of the next meeting.