Eng. Ihab Qadri, representative of the Leather and Garments sector at the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI), confirmed that the sector serves as a primary lever for expanding "Production Branches" across the Kingdom, aligning with the objectives of the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV).
اضافة اعلان
Qadri explained that the sector is gaining increasing importance in the second phase of the EMV, as it is one of the few industries capable of combining labor-intensive operations, geographical expansion, and integration with the "Production Branches" initiative—a direct executive tool for achieving national employment and local development goals.
Strategic Employment Hub
Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Qadri noted that the sector is a strategic operational pillar due to its exceptional capacity to generate jobs and absorb Jordanian labor on a large scale. Currently, the leather and garment industry employs approximately 30,000 Jordanians across various production stages. It is a leading sector for employing women and youth, particularly in peripheral areas outside city centers, making it pivotal in raising economic participation rates.
Ambitious Targets
The Economic Modernization Vision has assigned the sector a major role in the employment file, aiming to create 149,000 job opportunities in the leather and garment industry in the coming years.
"Expanding production branches is a key executive tool in the second phase of the EMV to maximize the sector's impact," Qadri stated. This involves establishing branches linked to existing factories or new units in governorates with untapped employment potential.
Key Benefits of the Expansion:
Localization of Labor: Accelerating the replacement of foreign labor with Jordanians.
Community Proximity: Providing jobs close to local communities to reduce transit hurdles.
Vocational Training: Linking employment with direct training programs based on actual factory needs.
Value Chain Deepening: Transitioning from basic production to high-value-added stages to boost export competitiveness.
A Model for Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
Qadri emphasized that the "Production Branches" initiative—launched in 2008 following Royal Directives—represents a true partnership model. Under this framework:
Royal Initiatives: Provide the necessary infrastructure.
The Government: Offers facilities and operational support for the first year.
The Private Sector: Manages operations, training, and job creation.
Current Impact and Statistics
The initiative has successfully transformed targeted communities, with female participation exceeding 70% in some branches. To date, there are 36 active production branches across the Kingdom, employing nearly 10,000 Jordanians. Notably, 31 of these branches operate within the leather and garments sector, highlighting its dominance in this initiative.
The second phase of the initiative focuses on ensuring a balanced distribution of opportunities across all governorates, prioritizing sectors with the highest job-creation potential.
