Jordan’s fiscal indicators on IMF mission’s agenda in this week’s visit

AMMAN — The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) mission, scheduled to visit the Kingdom during this week, will discuss the Kingdom's fiscal and economic indicators as well as the third review of the Jordanian economy, Finance Minister Ezzeddine Kanakrieh said on Monday.

The minister noted that the mission's visit is part of a series of visits intended to examine the measures related to fiscal and economic reforms, which have been implemented in cooperation with the IMF, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

IMF mission chief, Chris Jarvis, will head the delegation, which includes former mission chief Martin Cerisola and a team of specialists who are scheduled to hold meetings with officials from the ministries of finance, planning and energy, trade and industry, water, as well as representatives from the Central Bank of Jordan, among others, he added.

The IMF mission will mainly discuss the measures aimed at fostering economic growth to maintain financial and cash flow stability.

On August 24, 2016, the IMF Executive Board approved a three-year extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Jordan for an amount equivalent to SDR 514.65 million (about $723 million, or 150 per cent of Jordan’s quota) to support the Kingdom’s economic and financial reform programme. 

Earlier this year, Jordan asked the IMF to extend the current programme for six more months until a decision is reached regarding a new programme with the fund.

The scheme aims at advancing fiscal consolidation to lower public debt and implementing broad structural reforms to enhance the conditions for more inclusive growth.