Articles

For over seven decades, the Israeli occupation has cast its long, dark shadow not only over occupied Palestine but also over other neighboring countries, especially Jordan. The consequences of this prolonged occupation run deep and are far-reaching, impacting the lives of millions of Palestinians and sowing the seeds of instability throughout the region and the world. One of the most ...

The recent significant increases in the prices of petroleum derivatives in the local market continually bring us back to discuss their causes and implications for the overall national economy. Over the past two months, Jordan has witnessed extremely high petroleum derivative prices, which are among the highest, both in the region and globally. When accounting for income levels, we rank ...

The recent decision by the Jordanian government to phase out subsidies for water prices comes within the context of ongoing economic austerity policies that have been implemented for approximately three and a half decades. These policies aim, in part, to end the subsidies for basic commodities, and instead to provide direct support to those most in need. This decision sheds ...

Over the past three and a half decades, Jordan has entered into nine different agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). With the recent government announcement that it is beginning negotiations for a new program, fundamental questions arise, namely: Has Jordan truly benefited from these repeated agreements with the IMF? Does Jordan really need another IMF agreement and program? Of ...

The ongoing conflict between Jordanian insurance companies and the Jordan Medical Association (JMA) sheds light on the gaps within Jordan’s healthcare system. This conflict extends beyond mere financial disputes between the parties; it embodies a broader systemic challenge that could jeopardize the right to health for hundreds of thousands of Jordanians. The fundamental principle of the right to health is ...

Enhancing a country’s social protection system is one of a state’s most crucial objectives, given its role as an important driver of social, economic, and political stability. Governments are evaluated based on their achievements in the realm of social protection. The concept of social protection varies across different schools of thought and economic ideologies and theories. It is, therefore, important ...

The recent approval of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Law includes provisions that might pose both opportunities and challenges. However, it marks a potential turning point in Jordan’s economic and developmental landscape. Previous attempts, embodied in previous laws, aimed to expand the scope of partnership between the public and private sectors in various projects. However, the outcomes did not meet expectations. ...

In recognition of International Labor Day, which falls on May 1st each year, it is pertinent – and topical- to discuss the labor market and the challenges it faces, in addition to the continuous erosion of basic workers’ rights that both male and female workers are confronted with across many sectors in Jordan. The inequalities present in the Jordanian labor ...

Several key issues were discussed during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings which took place in Washington, D.C. some of which have been discussed in the previous article, “The International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings: Questions and Concerns.” While the meetings have concluded, much work remains to be done to reform the IMF’s system of ...

Dozens of civil society organizations, research centers, and independent experts raised numerous questions and concerns with the management of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, during the Spring Meetings recently hosted by the two influential economic institutions in Washington, D.C. This time around, in addition to issues traditionally raised in these meetings, the participants representing governments, and civil ...