By Leen Haddad l
A warm spring afternoon in Amman, and children at a local innovation center beam with pride as they show off their solar-powered irrigation system to visiting government officials at the center. The room — and the nation — has vibrant and pulsating energy, not just from the children, but from a nation that, under the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, is being propelled relentlessly from a poor nation to a regional hub of innovation and diplomacy.
Since more than two decades ago, King Abdullah has promoted a 21st-century, knowledge-driven economy Jordan — an education-driven, tech-savvy, vision-driven diplomatic Jordan. That vision is progressively more sophisticated today. From the initiative on STEM education and web infrastructure to regional leadership of peace initiatives, the Kingdom is progressively associated with the sort of vision-oriented leadership the 21st century demands.
Innovation as a National Imperative
In his Economic Modernization Vision 2033, introduced in 2022, King Abdullah also had a distinctly detailed vision: empower youth, diversify the economy, and leverage innovation to create one million jobs over the next decade. It is already yielding dividends.
Jordanian startups are thriving. The World Bank projects the digital economy to have increased fantastically and to account for 4% of the nation’s GDP, in addition to creating thousands of new employments. Jordanian youth are launching fintech, edtech, agritech, and artificial intelligence companies — backed by incubators offered by the Crown Prince Foundation of the government and its allies like the European Union.
This new-born startup culture is underpinned by institutions like the Royal Scientific Society (RSS), founded by the late Princess Sumaya and previously Crown-sponsored, which is enabling translation of research into solution-oriented action — from renewable energy to water recycling.
Education: A Catalyst for Change
King Abdullah never valued education more than the rest of Jordanian priorities. “The only way to move forward is through the brains of our people,” he once declared — a motto now realized in Jordan’s ambitious human capital investment.
Among the numerous areas of differentiation is the Queen Rania Teacher Academy, which is transforming teachers’ training and development. In the meantime, online learning platforms developed in Jordan — such as Edraak, the largest regional MOOC in Arabic — now reach millions of learners from all over the Arab world.
With Google, Microsoft, and Startups Cisco, among the likes, Jordan is ready to give its kids a digital future. More than 85% of Jordanian schools are internet-enabled, and programming is initiated at primary school.
Diplomacy in Action
With indigenous creativity in the vanguard, King Abdullah’s own vision for foreign policy is equally visionary. Most commonly referred to as the “quiet anchor” of the Middle East, Jordan has long been a leader in regional stability and cooperation — often acting as a bridge between East and West.
Jordan brokered the historic “Water-for-Energy” agreement with Israel and the UAE in 2021 in exchange for a trade of Jordanian solar power against Israeli desalinated water. This was a climate diplomacy landmark and helped further enhance Jordan’s status as a generous regional player.
The Kingdom’s ethical stand on issues such as Jerusalem, refugees’ rights, and interfaith issues — articulated through initiatives such as the Amman Message — continues to be the object of international jealousy and helps enhance Jordan’s international reputation further.
Science Meets Sustainability
Jordan’s dream of a monarch has also been one of science and sustainability. The SESAME particle accelerator, a pioneer on the outskirts of Amman, is the Middle East’s first and a showcase of scientific diplomacy — operated jointly by nations too long divided by politics.
Supported by open-ended scientific cooperation from King Abdullah, SESAME brings together scientists from Jordan, Israel, Iran, Pakistan, and more to work on non-belligerent medicine, material science, and environmental science. It may be the biggest symbol of the degree of trust King Abdullah has in communication via knowledge.
And in the process, Jordan’s shift to the use of renewable power — solar power now accounts for nearly 30% of electricity production — is being hailed by the likes of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) as a new model market.
Building an Resilient Future
The trials continue — unemployment, economic deficiencies, and area-to-area tensions to test the Kingdom’s mettle. But, nonetheless, there is a sense that Jordan is riding out the tempest with intention and steady hands on the helm.
With initiatives like the new “Youth, Technology, and Jobs” center, financed by the World Bank and a reflection of King’s new vision of modernization, Jordan is paving difficult roads for the next generation to lead the nation forward.
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