Jordan: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2017 Article IV Consultation
July 24, 2017
On June 21, 2017, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation1 with Jordan.
Jordan has made significant progress since the 2014 Article IV Consultation but pressing challenges remain. The gradual pick-up in growth from 2010 to 2014 ended in 2015, with real GDP growth decelerating from 2.4 percent in 2015 to 2 percent in 2016. The slowdown in 2016 was broad-based, with activity slowing in agriculture, construction, and mining. Inflation accelerated since mid-2016 to reach 4.6 percent (year-on-year) in February 2017, due to the recovery in global oil and food prices, as well increased fuel excises and the removal of general sales tax exemptions. Inflation has since eased, to 3.7 percent (year‑on-year) in May. Labor market conditions have remained challenging, particularly for youth and women, with the unemployment rate increasing to 15.8 percent in the second half of 2016 and to 18.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017, reflecting some methodological changes. The current account deficit (excluding grants) was 12.6 percent of GDP in 2016, slightly higher than in 2015, reflecting the challenging regional conditions, the Syrian refugee crisis, and the slowdown in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which have affected exports, remittances, and other flows. The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) has gradually increased its policy rates since late 2016 amid increasing dollarization, which has stabilized more recently, and higher U.S. policy rates, helping to maintain reserves at close to eight months of imports.
Despite considerable progress and recent improvements, the outlook remains challenging. Indicators for the first few months of 2017 show an important recovery in exports, tourism receipts, and remittances relative to 2016. Real GDP growth is projected to reach 2.3 percent in 2017, while inflation is expected to stabilize at around 2.5 percent by year-end. The current account deficit is expected to decline gradually, supported by structural reforms and fiscal consolidation.
Executive Board Assessment2
Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. They commended the authorities for preserving macroeconomic stability and external viability, reducing the fiscal deficit, maintaining prudent monetary policy, and ensuring a sound financial system. Directors acknowledged the challenging environment facing the Jordanian economy, including below‑potential economic growth, high unemployment, and difficult social conditions. They stressed the importance of implementing policies and reforms to bring public debt toward more sustainable levels, boost investment and productivity, and enhance inclusive growth.
Directors supported the continued gradual and steady fiscal consolidation. They were encouraged by the authorities’ commitment to continue to remove exemptions on the general sales tax and customs duties. They underscored the need to support these efforts with reforms to tackle tax evasion and increase compliance, rationalize expenditures while strengthening social safety nets, contain contingent liabilities and enhance oversight of PPPs, sustain reforms in the energy and water sectors, and improve debt management. They stressed that these reforms are crucial to preserve macroeconomic and external stability, place public finances on a sounder foundation, and lessen risks to debt sustainability.
Directors generally considered the monetary policy stance to be appropriate and that the exchange rate peg continues to be an important anchor for the economy, and urged the authorities to stand ready to increase interest rates in the event of persistent pressures on international reserves. A number of Directors considered that there might be a need to consider recalibrating policies to facilitate the external adjustment over the medium term, if the challenging external environment persists.
Directors welcomed ongoing reforms to preserve the financial sector’s resilience, notably the gradual adoption of Basel III and the decision to complement it with an additional capital buffer. These steps, along with the high levels of capitalization of banks, will provide buffers to deal with a broad range of shocks. Directors emphasized the need to continue to monitor interest rate risk and the rapid increase in household credit, and took positive note of ongoing plans to strengthen the supervision of insurance companies and microfinance institutions. Directors also encouraged the authorities to continue to strengthen implementation of the AML/CFT framework.
Directors stressed the need for reforms to enhance competitiveness and inclusive growth. The development of a financial inclusion strategy, along with greater facilities to support credit and enactment of the secured transactions law, would help enhance access to finance and support investment. Simplifying regulatory processes and enacting the inspection law would also improve the business environment. Directors called for advancing reforms to lower the formal cost of labor to promote greater employment opportunities, particularly for young people and women.
Directors called for greater donor assistance to help Jordan cope with the refugee crisis and support the program’s debt reduction and inclusive growth objectives.
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Jordan: Selected Economic Indicators and Macroeconomic Outlook, 2014–22 |
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Under Article IV of the IMF's Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country's economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.
At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country's authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summings up can be found here: http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.
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