Jordan supports social protection initiatives, according to Minister of Social Development Wafaa Bani Mustafa, as His Majesty King Abdullah II emphasizes the importance of social protection as part of economic and administrative modernization. She noted that His Majesty King Abdullah II stressed the importance of coordination between the concerned official and private sectors to ensure that modernization programs are in line with the requirements of social protection and to develop and improve plans and programs to address challenges facing citizens during a session on Tuesday to present the “Built to Include: Reimagining Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa” regional report, which is implemented by the World Bank. According to Bani Mustafa, the Jordanian government has been conducting social protection programs since 1930, and it recognizes the critical need to prioritize their implementation now more than ever. Jordan’s youth, she said, are educated and brilliant, and they are the key to true economic and political growth. She stated that the administration intends to sustain significant successes in all sectors of social protection while also identifying crucial areas for improvement and development. She went on to say that the report will help achieve two goals: highlighting the remarkable efforts made by Middle Eastern and North African countries, including Jordan, in social protection programs, and emphasizing critical areas where efforts can be strengthened in cash transfers, social security, and work. She also called for further fruitful cooperation with development partners and the World Bank. Holly Benner, the World Bank’s Jordan resident representative, lauded Jordan’s efforts to expand social protection programs, boost the value of its financial allocations, and increase the number of beneficiaries from such programs. Jordan, she noted, has doubled its budgetary allocations for social protection programs and is “one of the best countries in the region in terms of preparing these programs.” The report assists in the preparation of a more comprehensive and efficient social protection system, as well as the reform and improvement of those programs, she added, noting that the Middle East and North Africa region was greatly impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, affecting social protection programs, which necessitates the development of shock and crisis response programs.
Source: Jordan News Agency