81322846-Short-term expertise for technical advice on innovation policies to boost private sector development in Jordan

The assignment focuses on supporting the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply (MoITS) in Jordan in the context of the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV) Phase II, with an emphasis on targeted planning, technical implementation, and institutional strengthening. The work is structured across three main pillars: strategic and policy development, technical implementation of EMV initiatives, and capacity and organizational development. Together, these tasks aim to ensure that Jordan is able to adapt its trade and industrial policies to global and regional dynamics, while simultaneously strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improving the enabling environment for export promotion, innovation, and digitalization. The 3 pillars of this assignment are elaborated below:

1. Strategic and Policy Development

A core element of the assignment is to provide ongoing technical and policy advisory support to MoITS in order to guide the targeted planning and implementation of EMV Phase II. This includes assisting the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply (MoITS) in developing and reviewing its strategies / executive actions plan (e.g., export, industrial, etc.). A key dimension is to support designing strategic initiatives that respond to emerging challenges and opportunities at both the regional and global levels. Additionally, this task will support the Government's efforts in promoting innovation and economic complexity as means for diversifying products and export markets, thus ensuring that Jordan's export base is more resilient and adaptive to shifting global demand. The task will therefore support MoITS and other public sector entities in strategic, legal, and institutional matters to create conducive frameworks and demanddriven services that support SMEs, including women-led / women-owned businesses.

2. Technical Implementation of EMV Initiatives

In parallel with strategic policy development, the assignment also entails supporting the technical implementation of selected EMV initiatives. The implementation of initiatives is foreseen to stimulate innovation, economic complexity, and international competitiveness, while being closely aligned with the specific needs of SMEs, including women-led and women-owned busi-nesses and with the capacities of relevant public institutions.

Key initiatives under this pillar include:

Supporting Jordan's compliance with EU food safety and traceability requirements: Strengthening public sector entities in maintaining food safety compliance measures by SMEs, in order to secure access to this key market.

Enhancing the role of public sector in maintaining export compliance certification requirements: Strengthening accreditation / certification service schemes, in order to support SMEs maintain competitiveness in international markets.

Strengthening the technical and institutional capacity of Trade Supporting Institutions (TSIs) to promote demand-driven services to SMEs that support their innovation readiness and ability to access new markets.

3. Capacity and Organizational Development

The third major component of the assignment focuses on strengthening the institutional and organizational capacities of MoITS and other relevant public sector bodies involved in EMV implementation. This includes conducting a capacity development and training needs assessment to identify both strategic and technical areas where MoITS and related public sector entities require additional expertise to strengthen their role in designing, implementing, and monitoring strategies.

As the project's political partner, MoITS plays a central role in coordinating the implementation of EMV both internally (within the Ministry) and externally (with development partners / donors and public and private sector entities). The assignment will contribute to strengthening MoITS's coordination role, which may involve the definition and institutionalization of new structures and mechanisms. These mechanisms would enable MoITS to more effectively mobilize and coordinate implementation by partners and ensure coherence across multiple actors contributing to the MoITS priorities within the EMV.