A joint employment project between the Ministry of Labor and the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) was launched on Tuesday with the aim of directing employment policies in the Kingdom towards social and economic development.

The "Employment in Jordan 2030" (EJ2030) project will help address the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on employment, especially in light of an already high unemployment among young people and women as a result of the repercussions of the pandemic, according to Labor Minister Nayef Istitiah.

At a launch ceremony, Istitiah added that the project will also inform policies and data analysis, enabling the ministry to realign labor market policies towards fast-growing sectors and related professional businesses.

Cordula Millhart, Development Cooperation Officer at the German Embassy in Amman, said that the project will support economic development efforts and job generation through capacity building and the introduction of evidence-based policies that advance the labor market in the medium and long term.

The launch ceremony was attended by Director of (GIZ) Jordan Office Elisabeth Girrbach and representatives from the Jordan Chambers of Industry and Commerce and the General Federation of Jordan Trade Unions.

The EJ2030 is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with a contribution of 9 million euros.