Jordan Country Profile

General Information

Political Climate


Despite the absence of any significant natural resources, Jordan has succeeded in attracting foreign investments through economic reforms and has shown solid economic growth rates. Unlike other Arab countries in the region, Jordan does not have a burdensome record of political violence and the country is deemed politically stable.

Jordan is a hereditary constitutional monarchy in which the King has broad executive power. In 1989, Jordan embarked on a path of political liberalisation and reform following widespread riots due to increased bread and animal feed prices after the government lifted subsidies. The reforms did not alter the distribution of power in any significant manner and the King retained much of his power. Freedom of expression is relatively well-established in Jordan, so long as it is practised within certain boundaries and does not, for example, discredit the royal family, foreign policy and foreign relations or mention corruption within the inner circles of power. The latest parliamentary elections in Jordan were held in November 2007, the most notable feature of which was the surprise defeat of the Islamist opposition party, the Islamic Action Front (IAF). Many explanations have been provided for this defeat, and whether or not the elections were free, fair and transparent has been subject to dispute. In November 2009, the Lower House of Parliament was dissolved by King Abdullah two years prior to the end of its four-year term. Prime Minister Rifai was appointed in mid-December with the special responsibility of supervising transparent and fair parliamentary elections, which are planned to be held before the end of 2010, as well as amending the electoral law and pushing forward economic reforms.

Societal interests in Jordan are generally not channelled through political parties, but through informal networks. Favouritism, cronyism and nepotism, as in the use of influence or personal and business connections to gain favours, such as jobs or access to goods and services, are covered by a particular concept in the Middle East known in Arabic as wasta ('mediation'). Corruption in Jordan is manifested in favouritism, cronyism, nepotism and bribery. According to a 2006 survey by the Centre for Strategic Studies of the University of Jordan, 46% of the respondents (the general public, businesspeople, journalists, politicians, political party leaders, and academics) believed that corruption increased over the previous few years and the majority perceived both the public and private sector to be corrupt. However, the government has been taking steps to combat corruption and King Abdullah has identified the fight against corruption as a top priority, just as Prime Minister Rifai has stressed that fighting corruption is crucial to attracting foreign investors. This political will has materialised into a series of initiatives, including the formation of an independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to draft a law to combat corruption and wasta, and the signing of a public sector Code of Conduct that outlines the moral and legal principles that ministers should uphold. Public trust in the government's ability to fight corruption is still low, as seen in studies by Jordan Transparency Forum and the Centre for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan cited in two December 2009 articles by The Jordan Times. The studies show that only 48% of respondents in the public opinion surveys believed that the government will be capable of bringing about equity and transparency in public sector appointments and in fighting corruption in the public sector, while 87% of respondents believed that wasta will persist despite government measures and 91.3% were not aware that favouritism or wasta is considered a type of corruption by law. According to the Bertelsmann Foundation 2010, corrupt officeholders are not prosecuted in a systematic way, but occasionally, cases of corruption are widely publicised. The President of the ACC stated in a July 2009 article by The Jordan Times that the ACC examined 432 cases of corruption in the first half of 2009. A fourth of these cases dealt with misuse of authority, while others addressed forgery, fraud, bribery and embezzlement. Most of the cases came from the public sector, particularly at the municipal level. Nevertheless, prosecution of high-ranking civil servants and officials remains rare. There have been some cases of conviction of high-ranking officials, most notably that of Samih Batikhi within the Governance Intelligence Directorate (GID), who was charged with fraud and embezzlement in July 2003. Nevertheless, Batikhi's trial and subsequent conviction were considered by observers to be flawed with irregularities, and the extensive evidence of his alleged crimes remains secret.

Business and Corruption

Although companies operating in Jordan identify corruption as a problematic factor for doing business in the World Economic Forum World Competitiveness Report 2009-2010, there are still many factors that are considered to be larger constraints, such as inefficient government bureaucracy, tax rates and regulations, inflation and an insufficient infrastructure and educated workforce. Nevertheless, according to the World Bank & IFC Enterprise Surveys 2006, 41% of the companies surveyed reported that corruption is a major constraint for doing business, while 18% report that they expect to make informal payments to public officials to get things done. Occurrences of public-private corruption have been reported in the Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ), in the Aqaba special economic zone, as well as in relation to the misappropriation of government oil revenues. The government encourages foreign investment, but companies should note that the use of wasta to advance business interests is widespread in Jordan. According to a 2007 study by the German Development Institute, business executives with more wasta than others have better access to, for example, public sector services, information on business opportunities, government contracts, tax exemptions and political decision-making. At the same time, positions in the public sector are often assigned based on wasta, a situation that leads to overstaffing and the employment of unqualified staff, thus resulting in public services of poor quality and unnecessary and inefficient administrative procedures. The prevalence of wasta also has an impact on the development of the private sector in Jordan, as companies tend to invest money in social relations that will secure them better wasta, rather than in the quality of their products or services. The use of wasta has in part affected some foreign companies and companies operating in Jordan have reported hidden costs stemming from bureaucracy, red tape, vaguely formulated regulations and conflicting jurisdictions. Nearly 28% of companies surveyed by the World Bank & IFC Enterprise Surveys 2006 identify the practices of competitors in the informal sector as a major business constraint. It is recommended that foreign investors therefore implement integrity systems and carry out extensive due diligence when exploring investment opportunities, looking for partners, and concluding purchases agreements.

Since 1999, Jordan has privatised many of its state holdings. A special committee, the Executive Privatisation Commission (EPC) under the supervision of the Higher Privatisation Council and headed by the Prime Minister, is in charge of selecting and assessing privatisation projects, preparing offers for interested parties, appraising submitted offers etc. Jordan's privatisation programme has been praised by the World Bank for finding a good balance between effectiveness and transparency, while Freedom House 2010 reports that foreign companies working with well-connected Jordanian companies have been favoured in the privatisation of key assets at the expense of smaller local investors.

Regulatory Environment

Foreign and local investors are equal before the law. However, companies should note that there are some exceptions with regards to which domains foreign companies can invest in. These include activities pertaining to military and national security, as well as customs clearance services and land transportation. In some sectors and services, such as printing/publishing and maintenance of aircrafts or maritime vessels, foreign companies are only allowed 50% ownership. Jordan offers investment incentives in the form of exemptions on income tax and customs-duties. The level of exemptions varies depending on which geographical area investments are made in. For more information on investment restrictions and incentives, see the US Department of State 2009. There is no formal screening or government selection process for foreign companies wishing to invest in Jordan. Yet, it is reported that the informal approval by local and central government officials will help ensure governmental cooperation in the implementation of the company's project. According to the US Department of State 2009, the government promotes e-government and is working towards making regulations and procurement procedures more transparent as well as improving competition. Numerous procedures have been streamlined, but they remain non-transparent and, along with red tape, continue to pose problems to foreign and local investors. According to the World Bank & IFC Enterprise Surveys 2006, senior management can expect to spend an average of nearly 7% of its time dealing with the requirement of government regulations. The implementation of e-government has been slow, although company registration is available online through the Jordan Investment Board. Data from the World Bank & IFC Doing Business 2010 reveals that it takes 13 days and 8 procedures, amounting to 50% of the annual income per capita to start a company in Jordan. The initiatives to ease the complex regulatory system and the numerous procedures using the 'One-Stop-Shop' of the Jordan Investment Board have not been fully successful. Bureaucratic obstacles and delays remain and, at the level of local government, the application of customs, tax and labour laws is arbitrary and acts as an impediment to investment.

Private property is well-defined and protected through sound legal processes, and there are no serious limitations to the acquisition, benefits and sale or use of property. The acquisition of property by foreigners is based on the principle of reciprocity. However, some areas are subject to different provisions and procedures. Expropriation is not permitted unless it is deemed to be in the public interest, in which case fair compensation in convertible currency is then provided to the investor. With regards to the resolution of disputes, Jordanian law stipulates that companies can seek third party arbitration or an internationally recognised settlement of disputes. Jordan is member of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and of the New York Convention of 1958. While some observers have noted the lack of transparency in connection with the settlement of disputes, others report that the judiciary has ruled to the advantage of foreign companies and that the judiciary is not significantly corrupt. Access the Lexadin World Law Guide for a collection of legislation in Jordan.

Judicial System

Individual Corruption

The judicial system is divided into civil, criminal, commercial, security and religious courts. According to Freedom House 2009, the judiciary at the level of civilian courts is generally not corrupt and most trials are open and procedures are respected. In the State Security Court (SSC), however, proceedings are often closed to the public and furthermore, Freedom House 2009 reports that torture is practised recurrently by the General Intelligence Department, which conducts interrogations of suspects in SSC cases.

Business Corruption

Observations of lack of transparency with regards to the settlement of disputes have been made. Yet, Jordanian law provides that foreign investors can seek third party arbitration or an internationally recognised settlement of disputes. Furthermore, the US Commercial Service 2007 reports a case of a foreign company investing in a joint venture with a Jordanian state-owned company, being dissatisfied with the management of the contract which was given to a rival without prior consultation. However, the company was able to resolve the dispute to its satisfaction with support from its embassy.

Political Corruption

The Jordanian judicial system is constitutionally independent and according to the Bertelsmann Foundation 2010, the judiciary operates independently on minor issues, but it may be subject to political interference in cases where political influential people are involved. In line with this, Freedom House 2009 indicates that the judiciary is subject to executive influence through the Ministry of Justice and the Higher Judiciary Council (whose members are appointed by the King) because they appoint and transfer judges.

According to the US Department of State 2009, appointments to the judiciary are not always based on professional merit, and Global Integrity 2008 reports that personal relations may be significant for the entry to the Judicial Institute.

In September 2008, the head of the Royal Court Basam Awadallah was forced to resign from office, partially as a consequence of corruption allegations.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2010:
- Enforcing a commercial contract in Jordan requires a company to go through an average of 38 administrative procedures, taking an average of 689 days at a cost of 31% of the claim.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010:
- Business executives give the Jordanian judiciary's level of independence from influences of members of government, citizens, or companies a score of 5 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'heavily influenced' and 7 'entirely independent'), constituting a competitive business advantage for the country.

- Business executives give the efficiency of the legal framework for private companies to settle disputes and to challenge the legality of government actions and/or regulations a score of 4.7 and 4.3 respectively on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely inefficient' and 7 'highly efficient'), constituting competitive business advantages for the country.

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- 57% of companies surveyed believe the court system in Jordan is fair, impartial and uncorrupted.

- Nearly 17% of companies surveyed identify the functioning of the courts as a major business constraint.

Police

Individual Corruption

Conclusions from the US Department of State 2006 and the Fund for Peace 2006 agree that the police force is not particularly corrupt and that police officers have usually received training in how to avoid corruption.

According to Freedom House 2009, conditions in Jordanian prisons are poor, with inmates experiencing beatings and other abuse by guards and police officers. This situation led to a prison riot in 2008 with violent clashes between inmates and security forces.

Political Corruption

The Jordanian national police, the Public Security Directorate (PSD), is not significantly corrupt, but allegations of impunity are frequently made against the PSD.

Frequency

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010:
- Business executives give the reliability of Jordanian police services to enforce law and order a strong score of 6 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'cannot be relied upon at all' and 7 'can always be relied upon'), representing a competitive business advantage for the country.

Licences, Infrastructure and Public Utilities

Business Corruption

Companies wishing to invest in Jordan should note that obtaining licences is not particularly burdensome. Although facilitation payments may be required when obtaining licences and permits, it is less widespread than in other countries in the region.

According to the OECD National Investment Reform Agenda - Jordan 2006, a bribery case was referred to the court in 2002 involving owners of contracting companies who attempted to bribe an employee at the Jordan Electric Power Company in order to have the company’s electricity bills reduced.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2010:
- Starting a company requires the entrepreneur to go through 8 procedures, taking 13 days at a cost of 49.5% of income per capita.

- It takes 19 procedures, 87 days at 697.1% of the income per capita to obtain the necessary licences and permits, notifications and inspections and public utility connections to build a warehouse.

- It takes an average of 4.3 years to close a business at a cost of 9% of the estate.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010:
- Business executives give government administrative requirements (permits, regulations, reporting) in Jordan a score of 4 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely burdensome' and 7 'not burdensome at all'), constituting a competitive business advantage for the country.

The World Bank &IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- Senior management can expect to spend an average of nearly 7% of its time dealing with the requirements of government regulations.

- A little more than 9% of companies surveyed identify business licensing and permits as a major business constraint.

- 18% of companies surveyed report that they expect to make informal payments to public officials to get things done.

- 2.5% of companies are expected to give gifts to get an operating licence.

- 7% of companies expect to give gifts to obtain a telephone connection, while 4.5% expect to do so to obtain a water connection and 9% for an electrical connection.

- 12% of companies expect to give gifts to obtain a construction permit.

- 6 days are required to obtain an operating licence and 44 days are required to obtain a construction-related permit.

Land Administration

Individual Corruption

Private property rights are guaranteed in the constitution and safeguarded in practice. Expropriation of private property is rare.

Business Corruption

Companies should note that the number of procedures and cost of registering property are high both by regional average and compared to OECD countries. On the other hand, the time requested to register property is very low compared to the regional and OECD averages.

Political Corruption

Reports by Freedom House 2010 and The Nation indicate persisting rumours and accusations of royal land grabs carried out by classifying state or municipal land as Crown land.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2010:
- Registering property requires a company to go through an average of 7 administrative procedures taking an average of 21 days at a cost of 7.5% of the property value.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010:
- Business executives give the protection of property rights in Jordan, including financial assets, a score of 5.8 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'very weak' and 7 'very strong'), representing a competitive business advantage for the country.

Tax Administration

Individual Corruption

According to Global Integrity 2009, the use of wasta in the collection of income taxes discriminates low income households and those who lack connections to influential people in the system.

Business Corruption

According to Global Integrity 2009, the collection of taxes is flawed with wasta, favouritism, and the misuse of political power. Small companies lacking connections to people with political influence are often subjected to an arbitrary application of the Value Added taxes. On the other hand, companies with the proper political connections will often not be held accountable for tax evasion and might often be exempted from paying taxes.

Political Corruption

Freedom House 2010 reports that the tax administration is to some extent subject to political interference.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2010:
- A company spends an average of 101 hours per year making 26 separate tax payments at a total tax rate of 31.1% of profits.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010:
- Business executives perceive tax rates and tax regulations as respectively the first and fourth most problematic factors for doing business in Jordan.

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- Only 1% of companies state that they are expected to give gifts when meeting with tax inspectors.

Customs Administration

Business Corruption

Customs procedures have been identified by Info-Prod as a serious impediment to trade. This is caused by overlapping areas of authority, many signature clearances and excessive paperwork. Written regulations vary from actual practices and discretionary decisions are carried out, sometimes regarding cases that are subject to conflicting instructions and regulations. 

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2010:
- A standard export shipment of goods requires 7 documents and takes 17 days at an average cost of USD 730 per container.

- A standard import shipment of goods requires 7 documents and takes 19 days at an average cost of USD 1,290 per container.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010:
- Business executives give the efficiency of customs procedures (formalities regulating the entry and exit of merchandise) in Jordan a score of 4.6 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely inefficient' and 7 'extremely efficient'), representing a competitive business advantage for the country.

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- 1.5% of companies are expected to give gifts to get an import licence.

Public Procurement and Contracting

Business Corruption

The process and selection of awarding public work contracts and private-public initiatives is determined less by merit and more by connections and political necessities. A centralised tendering office displaying government tenders and relevant legislation can be accessed online and tenders are publicised, but the process of deliberation and criteria lacks transparency. There have been reports of the use of wasta regarding procurement. In general, the use of family and business connections to advance personal business interests is very widespread.

Read more about public procurement under the 'Public Anti-Corruption Initiatives' in the Initiatives section.

Political Corruption

According to US Department of State 2009, there have been allegations of influence peddling and lack of transparency in government procurement.

Read more about public procurement under the 'Public Anti-Corruption Initiatives' in the Initiatives section.

Frequency

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010:
- Business executives give the diversion of public funds to companies, individuals, or groups due to corruption a score of 4.7 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'very common' and 7 'never occurs'), constituting a competitive business advantage for the country.

- Business executives give the favouritism of government officials towards well-connected companies and individuals when deciding upon policies and contracts a score of 3.8 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'always show favouritism' and 7 'never show favouritism'), constituting a competitive business advantage for the country.

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- 2% of the companies are expected to give gifts to secure a government contract.

- The value of a gift expected to secure a government contract is 0.14% of the contract value.

Environment, Natural Resources and Extractive Industry

Political Corruption

According to Freedom House 2006, the government's revenues stemming from its sale of oil are unknown to the public. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have provided Jordan with oil at favourable prices. Jordan has apparently exported oil products, while Jordanian citizens have absorbed the significant rises in the price of domestic gasoline since 2004. There is a general lack of transparency regarding how income from exports and foreign aid are spent in Jordan, since public access to government budgets and expenditures is limited. Where access to the budget is possible through the parliament, only a limited amount of data is provided to the public.

Public Anti-Corruption Initiatives

  • Legislation: Corruption is criminalised in Jordan and active corruption is penalised under article 172 of the Penal Code of 1970. Jordan has an Anti-Corruption Commission Law (in Arabic) which was enacted in December 2006. This law defines corruption not only as misuse of power and economic crime, but it also includes actions related to wasta and nepotism. A Financial Disclosure Law published in the official gazette in November 2006, stipulates that specified government officials must disclose their assets in a sealed envelope that is to be opened by the Chief Justice in case of complaint. The Jordanian Parliament also passed an Access to Information Law in April 2007, although this is somewhat restricted by the State Secret and Documents Law. Furthermore, an Anti-Money Laundering Law was passed on 6 May 2007. Jordan ratified the UNCAC in February 2007. Access the Lexadin World Law Guide for a collection of legislation in Jordan.

  • Government Strategies: In August 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) published the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2008-2012, which was prepared by the ACC in coordination with the Planning Ministry and a group of experts provided by the EU. The strategy comprises several components such as strengthening the capacity of the ACC, simplifying the business environment, reforming the public sector, training of public officials, awareness raising and reviewing anti-corruption legislation, and an action plan to implement the strategy has been made. In line with the stipulations of the strategy a coordination committee has been established, including members of the ACC, the Ombudsman Institution and the Audit Bureau who shall secure greater cooperation between the three institutions. To avoid corruption on governmental level, the Rifai government has signed a Code of Conduct based on the constitution and the law. The Code of Conduct requires among other things the ministers to put aside personal interests when performing their duties, to submit a financial disclosure statement and it forbids them to hold seats on the board of private sector institutions, to take part in commercial or financial business or to receive any salary from a third part.

  • Anti-Corruption Agencies: The Anti-Corruption Commission Law calls for the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The members of the ACC were appointed in March 2007. The law stipulates that the ACC must be financially and administratively independent and conduct its work free from executive interference. The ACC has issued a statement saying that it will concentrate on investigating allegations of misuse of public funds. It is supposed to issue an annual report on its work. According to Global Integrity 2009, no reports have been issued so far, and it is reported that the ACC is not entirely free from political interference in practice.

  • General Intelligence Directorate (GID): The GID also has an anti-corruption office, the Anti-Corruption Directorate, which is in charge of dealing with cases of extortion, bribery and corruption. The GID has itself been involved in numerous scandals, but there were no major corruption indictments in 2004 and 2005.

  • Office of the Ombudsman: The Ombudsman institution is newly created in Jordan (end of 2008) and its activities were set to start in February 2009. It is therefore too soon to assess the Ombudsman's activities, functioning, and independence. Several other organisations carry out the functions of the national ombudsman, such as the National Center for Human Rights and the Higher Council for Media, which acts as ombudsman for media issues and the Audit Bureau (see below). The National Center for Human Rights and the Higher Media Council do enjoy political independence, but their ability to remain independent depends on the character and strength of the president of each entity.

  • Auditor-General: The Audit Bureau of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is the main audit institution. It was established by Law 28 of 1952. The Audit Bureau is an independent institution - both financially and administratively - within the government. It monitors government earnings and expenditures at various levels, namely the ministerial, public enterprises, local authorities, municipalities and rural councils. The agency submits a bimonthly report to the cabinet and a yearly report to the lower office of the Parliament with its finding. The Auditor General is, however, not mandated to launch investigations on its own and observers have noted that the government has not acted upon the Auditor General's findings.

  • E-Governance: Initiatives in the area of e-governance have contributed to rendering government services more transparent and more accessible. The US Department of State 2009 reports that the government has promised to make services, regulations and procurement procedures more accessible and transparent. Companies will find numerous government websites providing them with useful information on regulations, services offered by the government and different government bodies.

  • Public Procurement: Public procurement of all government departments is regulated by the General Supplies Department of the Ministry of Finance (Supply Act 32 of 1993). In law there is a requirement of competitive bidding, but information about tenders is not always disseminated to the private sector. Unsuccessful bidders may challenge the procurement decision through a court case. Bidders who violate the procurement regulations (and who are convicted by a court ruling) by engaging in corrupt practices to influence the procurement decision will be prohibited from bidding in the future. However, observers report that there are very few examples of this. Furthermore, the US Department of State 2009 reports that influence peddling and lack of transparency in government procurement exists. Jordan has a centralised tendering office where tenders are publicised.

  • Whistle-Blowing: The Anti-Corruption Commission Law 62/2006 only provides for indirect protection of whistleblowers by stipulating that the information and documentation the latter provide may be secret. According to the President of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), whistleblowers that address the ACC need not fear repercussions. However, there are concerns whether the whistleblower protection will be upheld in practice, especially since it is commonly known in Jordan that complaining about an influential person or family often lead to recriminations. It remains to be seen if the ACC will be able to enforce whistleblower protection in practice.

  • General Comments on the Public Anti-Corruption Initiatives: The political will in Jordan for countering corruption is strong. Jordan is in the process of implementing the provisions set out by the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), such as the establishment of an anti-corruption commission, protection of whistleblowers and freedom of information laws. All three initiatives have been formally established, but it is too early to verify how they work in practice and how far-reaching their scope of action and impact will be.

Private Anti-Corruption Initiatives

  • Media: According to many observers, the media is either suppressed from speaking out about corruption or co-opted. Journalists are reportedly often bribed by the authorities to write favourable stories. The government officially proclaims its commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression, has relinquished its monopoly on radio and television outlets and has issued a number of private broadcasting licences. Nevertheless, Freedom House 2008, along with other observers, indicates that the media in Jordan is mainly under state control and that independent journalists are often harassed and induced to practice self-censorship. The authorities have posted informers at printing presses; these informers regularly report to the government about offensive articles in the pipeline. The government can close print publications and ban books. Jordan's 1993 Press and Publications Law regulates freedom of expression and all publications are to be licensed by the government. The law also establishes the boundaries within which journalists can work - Article 150 of the Penal Code and other laws criminalise criticism of the royal family, slander of government officials and speech that harms Jordanian foreign relations, inflames religious sensitivities and undermines the state's reputation. Another of the topics that journalists can be punished for is the reporting on corruption in the higher circles of the political-administrative structures. A poet Haider Mahmoud was harassed and so was his family (his son had to resign from his position) for publicly, through a poem, speaking against corruption within the royal family. An ex-parliamentarian was also arrested for criticising corruption online. Regarding access to the Internet, the government claims that access is unrestricted, but according to observers several websites have been blocked, especially news sites. Reporters Without Borders 2010 ranks Jordan 112th out of 175 countries, while Freedom House 2009 ranks the country 140th out of 195 countries and describes its press environment as 'not free'.

  • Civil Society: NGOs are registered at the Ministry of Social Development which regulates their activities. They must obtain governmental approval to be able to operate. There are many civil society organisations, but they are weak and only entitled to work in their specialised area. The NGOs are prohibited from participating in political activities and, if they are deemed subversive by the authorities, their licences are instantly withdrawn. A new law has been passed in 2008 stipulating, amongst other, that NGOs must apply and get approval from the cabinet to receive foreign funding.

  • Jordan Transparency Society (JTS): JTS is a NGO bringing together lawmakers, activists and business leaders with the aim of promoting a culture of transparency in Jordan and raising public awareness about the importance of fighting corruption. JTS was launched in July 2009 with the intention to conduct field studies and surveys and issue an annual report assessing the Jordanian government's efforts to fight corruption. JTS is cooperating with Transparency International.

  • Arabian Alliance for Combating Corruption (AACC): The AACC is an alliance of CSOs dedicated to fight corruption. It comprises several Arab countries, including Jordan, and is headed by the Yemenite Human Rights Information and Training Center (in Arabic). The main aim of the AACC is to raise awareness about the risks of corruption and to enhance the role of CSOs in combating it. The AACC is organising capacity building sessions to empower CSOs in their fight against corruption.

Resources

The websites listed below provide useful facts on Jordan as well as contacts and tools for companies operating in Jordan:

 

Sources for further reading:

Conventions and Indices

UNCAC Status: Signed 9 December 2003. Ratified 24 February 2007.

Status on UNCAC Implementation
This field describes the country's status on the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Please note any declarations and reservations made upon ratification. The list of signatories can be found on the UNODC website. Read more about the UNCAC.

 

Other Relevant Conventions or Treaties:

 

Transparency CPI: 2009: 49/180: (Score: 5)

Transparency CPI
This field consists of the score for the country in question on the Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International as well as its ranking.

 

World Bank CORR Index (-2.5 - +2.5): 2008: +0.41

World Bank Corruption Index
This field consists of the score for the country in question on the 'Control of Corruption' indicator in the World Bank Governance Research Indicator Country Snapshot (GRICS): 1996-2008.

 

OECD Country Risk Classification (0-7): 2010: 5

Country Risk Classification
The classification of countries by risk category has the aim of providing OECD countries with a basis for calculating the premium interest rate to be charged to cover the risk of non-repayment of export credits. Countries are placed in risk categories 0 - 7, with 0 being the lowest risk category and thus the least expensive. Conversely, premium group 7 is the highest risk category. Each classification is comprised of 2 components: 1) an assessment of the country's economic/financial situation, and 2) its overall political stability. Access the complete list of OECD Country Risk Classification figures.

 

Data Verification:

Latest update: January 2010

Data verified by: Global Advice Network

Information Network

 

Relevant Organisations

 

Jordan Transparency Society

P.O. Box 830462
Amman 11183

Contact Person: Ms Hilda Ajeilat
Tel: +962 6 556 0511
E-mail: hildaajeilat(at)hotmail.com

NGO working to raise awareness about the importance of fighting corruption. Transparency International's local contact.

Arabian Alliance for Combating Corruption (AACC)

The AACC is headed by the Yemenite Human Rights Information and Training Center (in Arabic), which can be contacted through its website.

Alliance of CSOs dedicated to fight corruption. It comprises several Arab countries, including Jordan.

Amman Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 287
Amman 11118

Tel: +962 6 566 6151/6152/6153/6154
Fax: +962 6 566 6155
E-mail: info(at)ammanchamber.org.jo

Business association representing the private sector in Jordan with 31,000 registered members.

General Intelligence Department (GID)

 

Intelligence and security agency of the government. One of Jordan's main anti-corruption units is placed in the GID.

Jordan Investment Board

91 Mousa Bin Nussair Street
5th Circle, Wadi Saqra Intersection
P.O. Box 2019
Amman 11181

Tel: 962 6 560 8400
Fax: +962 6 560 8416
E-mail: info(at)jib.com.jo

Jordan Investment Board (JIB) is a governmental body established with the aim of facilitating the procedures for foreign investors face in Jordan. It hosts a one-stop shop (OSS).

 

Partner Embassies

 

Embassy of Denmark

Jabal Amman
3 Hanna Qa'war Street
Hay Al Radwan/Zahran
P.O. Box 830393
Amman 11183

Tel: +962 6 592 6620
Fax: +962 6 592 6639
E-mail: ammamb(at)um.dk

Embassy.

Embassy of the Netherlands

22 Ibrahim Ayoub Street
4th Circle
Amman

Tel: +962 6 590 2200
Fax: +962 6 593 0161
E-mail: amm-info(at)minbuza.nl

Embassy.

Embassy of Norway

25 Damascus Street
Abdoun
P.O. Box 830510
Amman 11183

Tel: +962 6 593 1646
Fax: +962 6 593 1650
E-mail: emb.amman(at)mfa.no

Embassy.

Embassy of Sweden

20 Abdul Majeed Al-Adwan Street
Abdoun
P.O. Box 830536
Amman

Tel: +962 6 590 1300
Fax: +962 6 593 0179
E-mail: ambassaden.amman(at)foreign.ministry.se

Embassy.

British Embassy

Abdoun
P.O. Box 87
Amman 11118

Tel: +962 6 590 9200
Fax: +962 6 590 9279

Embassy.

Embassy of Austria

Mithqal Al-Fayez Street 36
Jabal Amman
P.O. Box 830795
Amman 11183

Tel: +962 6 460 1101/1103
Fax: +962 6 461 2725
E-mail: amman-ob(at)bmeia.gv.at

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