National Workshop Launched To Drive Transition From Informal To Formal Economy

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, Sep. 1 (Petra) -- The Ministry of Labor, in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), has launched a three-day national workshop aimed at advancing the country's transition from an informal to a formal economy, a move considered pivotal for sustainable growth and social protection.
The workshop, which brings together more than 70 representatives from government ministries, regulatory agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector, is designed to strengthen dialogue on national priorities and lay the groundwork for a national framework for formalization, led by the government with technical support from the ILO.
Discussions during the workshop focus on strategies to promote decent work, expand social protection systems, and stimulate sustainable economic growth. Minister of Labor Khaled Al-Bakar emphasized the government's commitment to aligning efforts between the public and private sectors, labor unions, and international partners to establish a shared understanding of the dynamics of the informal and formal economies.
"We aim to reach a comprehensive and unified definition of both economies that reflects international standards while recognizing Jordan's unique context," Al-Bakar said. He added that the government is drafting a roadmap with actionable policies to ensure an inclusive and sustainable transition, integrating the workshop's outcomes into the Economic Modernization Vision implementation plan.
Highlighting the importance of social protection in the transition process, Dr. Al-Bakar noted that securing the rights of the most vulnerable workers is central to ensuring that economic reforms are both inclusive and resilient, while fostering job stability and productivity.
Amal Mowafy, ILO Senior Employment Policy Specialist and Jordan Country Coordinator, underscored the organization's commitment to supporting Jordan through this transformational journey, emphasizing that the transition is built on the principles of decent work.
"This workshop provides an important platform to share research and insights from our collaboration with local partners," Mowafy said, highlighting the ILO's new toolkit for assessing and mitigating risks associated with informal work. Jordan, she added, is one of only two countries globally selected to pilot this innovative framework.
Tayseer Maqdadi, Assistant Director-General for Technical Affairs at the Department of Statistics, stressed that accurate, detailed data is the foundation of any reform initiative. He noted that the department, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, is improving data collection and analytical mechanisms to build a reliable database on the informal sector. This, he explained, will help shape targeted policies to gradually formalize the sector and enable workers to secure their social and legal rights without compromising their livelihoods.
The workshop is supported by funding from the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, as part of ongoing international efforts to strengthen social protection systems and enhance Jordan's capacity to formalize its economy.

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