Despite the absence of any significant natural resources, Jordan has succeeded in attracting foreign investments through economic reforms and has demonstrated solid economic growth rates, while the government has gradually been implementing policies to improve competition and to foster transparency. The need for such policies have gained strength under the circumstances that Jordan has witnessed and which are strongly related to the public uprisings that have swept the Arabic region since early 2011. Public dissatisfaction with government policies and the rule of law has mobilised the King and the government to initiate reforms to improve the political, economic and social climate of the country. Anti-corruption reform is reportedly high on the political agenda, yet public scepticism about how it should be addressed is still prevalent.

Positive developments in relation to corruption and investment:

• The fight against corruption has been singled out as a top priority of both the King and the Jordanian government, who state that corruption is a great impediment to investment.
• There appears to be a political will to fight corruption which has materialised into a series of initiatives, including the formation of an Anti-Corruption Commission.

Risks of corruption:

• Government accountability is very weak, which has reportedly contributed to the abuse of public office and to corruption.
• Public officials that take bribes are not systematically punished and the successful prosecution of corruption cases is difficult to achieve. Prosecution of high-ranking civil servants remains rare.
• Companies operating in Jordan report hidden costs stemming from bureaucracy, red tape, vaguely formulated regulations and conflicting jurisdictions.