AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Thursday issued budget circular, directing ministries, and government units to begin preparing the draft General Budget Law and the draft Administrative Structures Bylaw for the 2026 fiscal year.

 

According to a Prime Ministry statement, the circular aims to ensure that the 2026 draft budget is submitted to the Lower House before the end of November and approved before year-end for the first time, allowing the government to launch capital and new projects at the beginning of 2026.

 

During a Cabinet session held on Wednesday, Hassan reaffirmed that the government, in cooperation with Parliament, seeks to pass the budget before the end of 2025 “so that we can move quickly in implementing capital projects at the start of the coming year”.

 

The circular links the preparation of the 2026 budget to the drafting of administrative structures for ministries and government units, in line with Royal directives to advance comprehensive reform across the political, economic, and administrative tracks.

 

The document stresses the importance of maintaining fiscal discipline, reducing public debt to targeted levels, enhancing the business environment, attracting investment, accelerating digital transformation, and strengthening social protection systems.

 

The circular says that the capital expenditure will increase in 2026 while current spending will remain consistent with nominal GDP growth, to support development projects under the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV) and the national reform programme.

 

It also sets overall expenditure ceilings for 2026 as well as spending limits for each ministry, department, and governorate.

 

The circular outlines 23 key budget directives focused on implementing the second executive programme of EMV and the public sector reform roadmap, continuing fiscal and economic reforms to strengthen macroeconomic stability, supporting the army and security agencies, attracting domestic and foreign investment, prioritising growth-stimulating and infrastructure projects.

 

The circular also indicated that the budget law will be centred around enhancing other sectors, including healthcare, social protection services, digital transformation, climate adaptation, and renewable energy, and promoting gender-responsive budgeting.

 

Macroeconomic assumptions for 2026–2028 project real GDP growth of 2.9 per cent in 2026 and 3 per cent in 2027 and 2028, nominal GDP growth of 5.4 per cent annually, and inflation at 2.2 per cent. Exports are expected to grow by 4.3 per cent in 2026, while the current account deficit is forecast to decline from 5.8 per cent of GDP in 2026 to 5.2 per cent by 2028, the statement said.

 

All ministries, departments, and government units were instructed to prepare detailed budgets for the fiscal years 2026–2028 within their assigned ceilings and submit them to the General Budget Department by November 9, 2025.

 

They are also required to update their strategic plans for the period, outlining their vision, mission, goals, and programmes, while demonstrating how they contribute to achieving national objectives.