Amman, Sept. 7 (Petra) -- Economic and Social Council President Musa Shteiwi on Monday discussed ways to broaden dialogue on the U.S.-government-funded Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) and strengthen the council’s role in following up on its outcomes.

He spoke at a meeting with representatives of the Iqlaa project, which is aimed at developing the productivity of micro and small enterprises in Jordan, along with council researchers.

Shteiwi, joined by council Secretary-General Nazir Awamleh, Iqlaa representatives Laith Qasem and Nidaa Maani, and several researchers, highlighted the importance of expanding discussion on the project, particularly regarding how the council could monitor and benefit from its outputs.

He also pointed to the value of developing an interactive geographic map of micro and small enterprises across the governorates. Such a map, he noted, could go beyond identifying business locations to show the nature of enterprises and help connect them within each governorate, potentially improving coordination and integration.

For his part, Qasem explained that Iqlaa focuses primarily on micro and small enterprises, including both formal and informal businesses, which represent a broad segment of economic activity in Jordan.

He noted that micro and small enterprises account for the largest share of businesses in the formal sector, while informal activity also represents a significant part of the economy, underscoring the need for a clearer understanding of the challenges facing these enterprises.

Qasem said the project is developing a platform for this business segment, alongside a geographic map identifying comparative and competitive advantages across the governorates and presenting data in formats intended to provide a clearer picture of local economic activity.

He described the Economic and Social Council as a suitable institution to work with the project’s data and outputs because of its role in examining economic and social issues.

//Petra// AO