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Jordan's Trade: Past Performance and Future Prospects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2009

Rodney J. A. Wilson
Rodney J. A. Wilson
Affiliation:
Center for Middle Eastern and Islamic studies University of Durham, England
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Extract

Many Middle Eastern governments are seeking to liberalize their trade policies. There is a desire to abandon policies based on import substitution through protectionism, and instead concentrate on export promotion. Advisors from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) urge governments to be less interventionist, and to create an environment where the provate sector can have freer rein. It is hoped that private entrepreneurs can revitalize the economies, and play a major role in emport promotion. Egypt, for example, has had an open door policy since 1974 following the years of government intervention and control under Nasser. Syria has also liberalized its import regime, and would like to encourage private sector exports, and Ba'thist socialist ideology has been less emphasized in recent years.

Type
Articles
Information
International Journal of Middle East Studies , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , August 1988 , pp. 325 - 344
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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References

NOTES

Author' note: Much of the material for the later policy sections of this article was collected during a study visit to Jordan during September–October 1986. A preliminary draft of the article was prepared in the spring of 1986. and sent to several economists in Jordan prior to this visit. Their comments and suggestions were extremely valuable. The author would like to thank in particular Dr. Monther Share of Yarmouk University, Dr. Haitham El Hurani of the University of Jordan, Dr. Muhamad Amerah of the Royal Scientific Society in Amman, and Salim Abu Shaar of the Central Bank of Jordan (on secondment to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources). The author, of course, bear sole responsibility for the contents of this article.

1 For background information on Jordan's economy see Mazur, Michael P., Economic Growth and Development in Jordan (London, 1979).Google Scholar For a brief account see Wilson, Rodney, The Economic of the Middle East (London, 1979). Ch. 10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

2 Central Bank of Jordan, Monthly Statistical Bulletin, 23, 4 (04, 1987), Table 32.Google Scholar

3 Central Bank of Jordan, Monthly Statistical Bulletin, 21, 12 (12, 1985), Table 25. official remittance figures exclude foreign currency brought back into Jordan and converted into dinars through money changers. It also excludes remittances in kind. as Jordanian expatriates often bring home as personal imports items such as cars, and are free to re-sell them. These items may add an estimated 60 percent to the value of remittances to the Jordanian economy, but these unofficial remittances have also slumped.Google Scholar

4 The large agricultural development schemes in the Jordan Valley were financed through aid. Though technically successful, the output is costly, and cannot be profitably marketed at world prices.Google Scholar

5 Such activities include banking and financial services.Google Scholar

6 These problems are discussed in a monograph the author has prepared on Euro-Arab Trade (London, 1988).Google Scholar

7 This is sometimes referred to as the income terms of trade.Google Scholar

8 The development of agricultural exports into a significant source of foreign exchange earnings has been a remarkable achievement. For details see Khouri, Rami G., The Jordan Valley (London, 1981).Google Scholar Another useful book on Jordan's agriculture is Zahlan, A. B., ed., Agricultural Sector of Jordan: Policy Systems Studies (London, 1985).Google Scholar

9 An excellent guide to countertrade techniques is Rubin, Steven M., The Business Manager's Guide to Barter, Offset and Countertrade (London, 1986).Google Scholar

10 Tapline, which flows under the Golan heights, was closed after the Israeli occupation of 1967. There were some discussions concerning its reopening, but the Lebanese Civil War and the strife in Sidon near the terminal location brought these discussions to an end.Google Scholar

11 Monther Share, “Jordan's Trade and Balance of Payments Problems,” paper presented to the conference on “Politics and the Economy in Jordan” held in London on 19 May 1987. The paper is being included in the proceedings of the conference being edited by Rodney Wilson, to be published in London by Croom Helm in 1988.Google Scholar

12 Zayd Sha'sha, “The Role of the Private Sector in Jordan's Economy,” paper presented at the conference in “Politics and the Economy in Jordan” which will also be included in the Croom Helm book (see note II).Google Scholar

13 lnformation reported to the author during a field visit to the town, and confirmed by several official sources that cannot be quoted.Google Scholar

14 Egypt has such an institution. See Wilson, Rodney, “Egypt's Exports: Supply Constraints and Marketing Problems” British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, 12, 2 (1985), 135–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar