On March 11, His Excellency Minister of Finance Dr. Mohammad Abu Hammour of Jordan joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the DAI/Nathan Group for the official launch of USAID/Jordan’s Fiscal Reform II Project (FRP II).

Dr. Abu Hammour and others spoke during a ceremony at the Sheraton Amman Al Nabil Hotel & Towers before an audience of senior Jordanian government and USAID officials, ambassadors, donors, nongovernmental organizations, and the media. He noted Jordan’s solid financial footing and recent economic progress, but acknowledged the government’s inefficiencies and the need to address the growing deficit, cut expenditures, and increase tax revenues without imposing new burdens on taxpayers.

FRP II is a five-year project funded by USAID/Jordan and implemented by the DAI/Nathan Group. The project aims to strengthen revenue administration, improve budget planning and execution, and ease the flow of goods across borders, while cultivating the demand and capacity for delivering improved public investments, better services, and greater efficiency across Jordan’s public sector.  

The Minister commented that with FRP II’s support and collaboration, the Jordanian government will become more efficient, competent, and resourceful.

“We look forward to continued productive cooperation in the years to come,” Dr. Abu Hammour said. “We are confident our joint efforts will ultimately help Jordan accomplish its development goals, reach a deficit-free budget, and provide Jordanians with a better future.”

FRP II’s primary counterparts include the Ministry of Finance and its various departments, the Ministry of Public Sector Development, and the Minister of State for Mega-Projects.

USAID/Jordan Mission Director Jay Knott highlighted the opportunities and the challenges facing the Kingdom.

“Jordan has the potential and desire to be a hub of economic prosperity and stability in the region,” Knott said. “However, achieving this agenda requires more than changes in process and policy; it requires that the government encourages and demands innovation and efficiency at all steps in the planning and budgeting process.

“Collectively, the activities of FRP II will foster and promote a whole government that does just that—through the concept of results-oriented government."

Dr. Abu Hammour emphasized that a better-performing government will help the Kingdom attract foreign direct investment and combat the twin ills of poverty and unemployment. He added that FRP II complements and supports the workplan the government recently presented to His Majesty King Abdullah II.

“Our fiscal reform efforts … will help us transform the government into a high-performing, results-oriented administration that taxes citizens progressively, spends wisely, and facilitates and enables a strong private sector that can trade easily,” Dr. Abu Hammour said.

DAI’s Mark Gallagher serves as FRP II’s Chief of Party, supported by Deputy Chief of Party Christina Erickson, also of DAI.

Also in Jordan, DAI is implementing Instituting Water Demand Management in Jordan (IDARA), a wide-ranging program of water demand management initiatives aimed at driving down water usage in one of the world’s driest countries. IDARA was recently named a finalist in the 2010 Global Water Awards, presented by the London, U.K.-based Global Water Intelligence.