The project “Strengthening Arab Economic Integration for Sustainable Development” aims at provision of inclusive economic growth with more employment opportunities and higher competitiveness of Arab goods and services through trade policy reforms, which form part of the overall framework of trade and economic integration. The latter pursues establishment of the Pan Arab market – one of major aspirations of Arab citizens towards its integration into the global market and brings about more prosperity. Along this line, UNDP is assisting target Arab countries in the promotion of trade and transport facilitation in line with international conventions and good practices in order to upgrade the performance of logistics sector.
UNDP supports the strategic planning and design of Jordan National Single Window (the so-called Jordan NSW which entails comprehensive integration of services of control and administration of various governmental agencies and active involvement of enterprises, companies – main beneficiaries of this platform, at national and regional level). That was materialized through a series of activities of capacity building, provision of technical advice (in business process re-engineering, in standardization of data elements and review of key legal foundations for digital economy and transactions) and technical consultations with seven governmental agencies of Jordan. The Roadmap of Jordan NSW was developed, presented, revised and successfully adopted by the Government of Jordan in December 2017.
The launch of the Jordan NSW under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Jordan constitutes a new era of development of more trade-facilitating platform in targeting better competitiveness of the logistics sector in the country, promotion of digital economy and digital government with better administration through real-time control, and higher efficiency in the clearance, release and distribution of shipments of cross border operations. According to the Decision by the Prime Minister, dated on July 4th 2017, Department of Customs, Ministry of Finance of Jordan will be the lead agency of the Jordan NSW and coordinate interventions by various agencies as well as activities by economic agents such as logistics companies, importers and exporters, including those under the Authorized Economic Operators program or Gold Cart Program of Jordan.
The launch expresses the strong commitment and determination of the Government in the implementation of provisions of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement as relevant to Jordan, adoption of international standards and practices for a better governance on international trade and investment. Improvement of regulatory transparency will also be an essential benefit of the participation to the Jordan NSW as it provides required information in real time and at little costs to the trading community and the public. These become challenges and questions that the new generation of NSW of Jordan needs to address with new reforms and technologies, and transparency.
This development also pioneers adoption of trade facilitating platforms such as National Single Windows, or the like/similar, towards a Regional Single Window as effective contribution to the realization of political mandates of Arab Leaders and of His Excellency the King of the Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan. In the light of the above, the Prime Minister of Jordan approved the launch to be organized on January 22nd 2018 in Amman.
Objectives of the Official Launch. The official Launch of Jordan NSW Roadmap pursues the following:
Objective 1: Formal declaration by the Prime Minister on behalf of the Government of starting a new programme of improvements of value chains and logistics operations for better competitiveness of Jordan.
Objective 2: Presentation of the adopted Road Map by the senior management of UNDP to the Government.
Objective 3: Exchange of views on the required future steps for the activation of Jordan NSW in partnership with governmental agencies and the private sector of Jordan.
Objective 4: Promotion of collaboration and partnership with Arab countries in the progressive adoption of trade facilitation measures, improvement of regulatory control measures, including pre-arrival control in the pursuit of freer flow of goods, commodities, means of transport and people.