The International Labour Organization’s newly-appointed regional chief has big plans to improve the lot of workers in Jordan over 2016 and beyond. By Rebecca Irvine With its mission to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection,…
It’s been almost five years since the start of the Syrian crisis. During this time, over 2 million refugees have sought safety in surrounding states. While Jordan and Lebanon took early responsibility for those fleeing this wretched conflict, Europe is…
What is it? The Schengen agreement, named after the village in Luxembourg where it was signed in 1995, allows for passport-free travel through 26 European countries, including most members of the EU. What did it help achieve? The agreement succeeded…
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals have managed to lift 1 billion people out of extreme poverty, according to a UN report released last month, which assessed the effectiveness of the 15-year strategy. Initiated in the year 2000, the eight…
With its long and proud history of taking in the displaced and dispossessed, Jordan has more reason than most to mark World Refugee Day on June 20. World Refugee Day once again gives us the opportunity to reflect on the…
In the World Economic Forum’s recently published Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015, Jordan managed to improve its position, moving up from 68 to 64 out of 144 economies. Margareta Drzeniek, director and lead economist, Global Competitiveness and Benchmarking Network, tells Venture…
The Syrian civil war, coupled with the spread of ISIS, has so far cost countries in the region over $33 billion, according to a World Bank report. The policy research working paper quantifies the direct and indirect economic impact of…
David Ignatius, the celebrated associate editor and columnist at the Washington Post, visited the Columbia Global Centers, Middle East in Amman last month to speak about US foreign policy and the crisis in the region. Ignatius has spent around 35…
Standard Chartered dispatched some of its top regional analysts to Amman last month to brief its clients on the bank’s macro-economic outlook for Jordan and the wider region. Their overall assessment was fairly sunny, despite the obvious challenges that continue…
IS is expertly using social media to fulfill its objectives. This makes it even harder to stop. By Osama Al Sharif The main objective of propaganda is to sway, influence, and manipulate public opinion. In today’s information age, it’s becoming…