Jordan launches national strategic plan to drive information technology, telecoms and post

The Strategic Plan forms the guideline for stakeholders in these sectors for the next three years, and is the outcome of the general ICT policy prepared by the MoICT and approved by the Council of Ministers on 4th September, 2003.

"Jordan's ICT sector has undergone a remarkable transformation in a few short years and we are now aiming to build on that impetus to drive strong growth in capabilities, resources and opportunities." Said Dr. Zu'bi. "There are still enormous opportunities not only to drive inward investment, but also to continue to build the assets that have been developed in Jordan and so create a dynamic and competitive environment in Jordan."

The policy is widely accepted as the roadmap for ICT development in Jordan over the coming years. The policy document was followed by the development of the National ICT Strategic Plan, where the broad policy goals have been condensed into a number of specific initiatives that combine to ensure the achievement of those goals.

"The Strategic Plan is the guideline for all ICT key players to further contribute in the development of a dynamic and vibrant ICT sector. Therefore, it has been a necessity to identify where we are today and where we want to be in the next three years," said Nadia Saeed, Secretary General of MoICT. "We believe that with the collaboration and active support of all stakeholders in the sector we will not only create a more competitive ICT sector, but will be able to share the outcome with our counterparts in various countries."

The Plan covers three sectors in Jordan. The first is the telecommunications sector which includes three significant sub-sectors: mobile communications, fixed communications and internet service provision. The second is the information technology sector and the third is the postal sector. The strategy identifies the main goals which should be achieved by each sector over the next three years, why and how these goals should be achieved, and the major challenges which must be met to achieve the desired outcome across the plan's lifetime.

"The responsibility on our shoulders during the next three years will be huge and the strong cooperation between the public and private sectors in Jordan will be a key driver to achieve the goals of the strategy. We have been fortunate in the strength and longevity of the cooperation between Jordan's public and private sectors, but we will still be acting to drive that cooperation to new levels moving forwards in order to meet our goals" added Dr. Zu'bi.