Amman, Feb 3 (Petra) - The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation on Tuesday organized a workshop to launch the preparation process of the "Third Voluntary National Review (VNR 2026)" of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, in the presence of United Nations Resident Coordinator in Jordan Sheri Ritsema-Anderson and representatives of ministries, the private sector, civil society organizations, youth, women and persons with disabilities, UN agencies, and relevant international organizations, according to a statement issued by the ministry.

Marwan Rifai, Secretary General of the Ministry affirmed Jordan’s commitment to implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda since 2015, noting that the report constitutes a comprehensive evaluation tool for national efforts and an opportunity to draw a clear roadmap through 2030.

He explained that the preparation of the report comes at an important time, coinciding with the government’s launch of economic and administrative modernization programs, the social protection strategy, and the digital transformation roadmap, which represent the national framework for action in the coming years.

He stressed the role of international partnerships in supporting Jordan in addressing challenges, calling on working teams to coordinate and provide accurate data in cooperation with government entities, the private sector, civil society, and UN agencies, to ensure the preparation of a comprehensive report that reflects the aspirations of all partners.

For her part, UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan Sheri Ritsema-Anderson said that despite complex pressures, Jordan continues to choose to move forward rather than retreat, affirming that the 2026 Voluntary National Review will demonstrate on the UN’s global platform that external shocks will not constrain its development ambitions.

She praised Jordan’s disciplined commitment to moving at a faster, smarter, and more coordinated pace toward a prosperous future, and its keenness to involve relevant ministries, civil society organizations, the private sector, academic institutions, women, youth, local authorities, and development partners in shaping the future path. She stressed that achieving further progress on the Sustainable Development Goals before 2030 remains possible and that it is not too late.

The workshop featured a presentation on ongoing preparations for the report, its priorities and methodology, in addition to a brief review of previous national reports (2017 and 2022) and the voluntary local review, conducted in Amman and Irbid.

//Petra// AF