Foreign trade data reveal the importance of this shift; total exports increased by 10.3% during the first seven months of 2026, compared to a 4.6% growth in national exports, while the trade deficit reached about 5.19 billion dinars. These figures indicate that the increase in trade movement does not necessarily mean that domestic production is expanding at the same pace, and that the economy needs to maximize the value-added generated within the Kingdom. Jordan's geographical location between the Gulf markets, Iraq, Syria, and the port of Aqaba gives it an opportunity to develop industries and services related to storage, assembly, manufacturing, and distribution, which would transform trade movement into a broader source of income and employment, and reduce reliance on transit activity alone.
Hence, the need arises to develop a national index for exposure to economic shocks, which measures the degree of reliance of productive sectors on specific export markets, import sources, and transport routes that may be subject to disruption. This can begin with five vital sectors, including food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries, agriculture, and logistics, by identifying the value of production, exports, and jobs exposed to risks, and the time required to restore activity when one of the routes or supply sources is disrupted. This data will allow the government and the private sector to proactively identify areas of economic vulnerability and direct interventions toward the sectors most exposed to shocks and with the highest impact on the national economy, instead of waiting for losses to appear to address them.