AMMAN — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached a staff-level agreement with the Jordanian government on the fifth review of the country’s economic reform programme under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), as well as the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).

 

In a statement, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, IMF mission chief César Serra said that Jordan’s economy continues to demonstrate resilience despite a challenging regional environment.

 

He said that real GDP growth reached 2.8 per cent in 2025, with momentum strengthening in early 2026, “supported by the government’s commitment to prudent macroeconomic policies and strong international backing.”

 

Serra highlighted the Central Bank of Jordan’s success in keeping inflation below 2 per cent, attributing this to its “consistent focus on monetary stability and the country’s strong foreign exchange reserves.”

 

He added that the Jordanian banking sector remains robust, with comfortable levels of liquidity and capital.

 

The IMF official also underlined the measures the government took to mitigate the economic impact of ongoing regional conflict, including rising energy costs and disruption to tourism.

 

“These measures include efforts to safeguard energy security, ease supply chain pressures, maintain adequate liquidity in financial markets, and provide targeted support to the most vulnerable groups.”

 

Despite external pressures linked to the war in the Middle East, Serra said that the reform programme’s performance remains strong. “All quantitative targets for the fifth EFF review were met with comfortable margins, and structural benchmarks remain on track.”

 

He also reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to reducing public debt to 80 per cent of GDP by 2028 through improved revenue collection and more efficient public spending.

 

Upon completion of the fifth review, Jordan is expected to receive approximately $140 million in financing under the EFF, while the RSF review would unlock a further $57 million, Petra said.

 

Serra stressed that structural reforms are essential to fostering a more dynamic private sector capable of driving growth and job creation.

 

He pointed to ongoing government initiatives to improve the business environment, enhance competition, increase labour market flexibility, and strengthen social safety nets.

 

He also said that the Central Bank of Jordan, with support from the World Bank, has issued detailed regulations on climate-related financial disclosures, aligning with the Basel Committee’s 2022 guidance and international sustainability standards.

 

The agreement follows two weeks of in-depth discussions between IMF staff and Jordanian officials, including Minister of State for Economic Affairs Mohannad Shehadeh, Minister of Finance Abdulhakim Shibli, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan, and Central Bank Governor Adel Sharkas.