Ms. Hala Lattouf, Secretary-General of Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation participated on behalf of H.E. Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in a dialogue with Heads of UN agencies and highlighted the National Social and Economic Action Transformation Plan (SETP) 2004 – 2006 basic elements for growth. Ms. Lattouf said that Jordan has achieved positive results as the country made significant progress in terms of real GDP. The outstanding external debt was reduced, the inflation was sustained at a low level, domestic exports grew, the market capitalization at the Amman Stock Exchange and the foreign official reserves increased, several enabling laws and regulations were amended or introduced.

In spite of the country’s achievements the country is still faced by many challenges, added Ms. Lattouf. The SETP 2004-2006 will focus on several areas: Development of human resources and the basic government services, the rural development and poverty alleviation and the institutional and structural reform.

Jordan hosts a total of 15 UN agencies, programmes and funds. a few of them having regional mandates. The United Nations System in Jordan is strongly involved in the areas of poverty and employment, social development, environment and water resources, regional development, information and communication technologies, and private sector development. These six developmental areas were identified through the Common Country Assessment (CCA) prepared by the UN system in cooperation with the national Government and other key national and international partners.

To highlight the work of the UN Country Team in Jordan, the UN Resident Coordinator Office (UNRC) launched earlier this year a user-friendly internet portal www.un.org.jo. The portal includes a database designed to provide basic information on projects implemented in four areas seen as essential to Jordan’s sustainable development: Governance/Public Sector Reform, Water, Social Development and Microfinance/Micro-Enterprise.