Reverse Linkage

125 DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION I n spite of being a lowermiddle-income country, Jordan has, for years, succeeded in setting a regional model for multi-faceted home-grown reforms leveraging its experience in the bold reform measures undertaken by the Kingdom on political, social and economic fronts in line with its successive national visions; the most recent of which is the country’s ten-year socio-economic blueprint, Jordan 2025: A National Vision and Strategy. In recent years, Jordan has been setting a regional and global standard in terms of dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis and doing global public good. This is in addition to pioneer- ing resilience-based approaches with the development of the three-year rolling Jordan Response Plans and managing a paradigm shift through the Jordan Compact adopted in February 2016, which has allowed Jordan and its interna- tional partners to make significant strides in supporting and building the capacities of Syrian refugees and hosting communities, in addition to supporting Jordan’s overall development agenda. The story of Jordan is one of turning challenges into oppor- tunities. Even as unprecedented challenges to economic and fiscal stability have appeared, they have not diverted the Kingdom from the road of continued development and reform. Jordan’s approach to reform and development has always been, and will continue to be inclusive and sustainable. Jordan has also served as a platform for contributing to the rebuilding and stabilisation efforts in the region and across the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This is thanks to its long-term history of change, develop- ment and transformation driven by upgrading the country’s institutions, capabilities and capacities at various levels and fronts. Moreover, Jordan has been able to position itself as a regional leader in human resources development and in institutionalising and promoting principles of excellence, innovation and competitiveness across the public and private sectors as well as civil society organizations. Leveraging its strengths, Jordan has been a forerunner in engaging with partners from both the North and the Global South, and has introducedmany tools and solutions to promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation through the provi- sion of experts and the transfer of technical know-how and skills to other countries in the region, whether conflict-ridden, resource-scarce, or even high income neighbours. Institutional capacity building and home-grown public sector reform have been at the heart of Jordan’s political and economic progress. First-hand experience with these reforms has equipped Jordan with valuable know-how and expertise that can shared with other countries in the region and, potentially, the entire Global South. In this context and over the past decade, Jordan has part- nered with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Office of Technical Cooperation, with the aim of promoting South-South and Triangular Cooperation with other IsDB member countries, particularly in the Arab region. This cooperation has cultivated itself in various forms and has contributed to institutional capacity building, peer-to-peer exchanges, training, and knowledge transfer, building on Jordan’s vast experience in areas such as human resources management, structuring a civil service, social development, Jordan’s evolving landscape in development cooperation Zeina Toukan, Director, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Visiting delegation from the Singapore Civil Service College to the King Abdullah II Center for Excellence (KACE), Jordan Image: Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation