JORDAN NATIONAL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY (2013-2017) environment. Jordan needs to develop its business environment to be competitive on an international scale. Laws must be internationally competitive and equally applied across all businesses. Not doing so will facilitate greater migration of Jordanian companies, management and capital to more attractive environments. This will further increase unemployment and reduce exports, putting Jordan in an increasingly precarious economic and social position. Also taxation (direct and indirect), licensing and fee regimes need to be unambiguous, consistent and transparent. GoJ needs to publish how taxation, licensing and fee regimes are applied. This will prevent inconsistent interpretation by companies as well as government employees and provide a standard which the private sector (local and foreign) can depend upon. Moreover, publication will provide the GoJ and the private sector a reference to review and evaluate the Jordanian investment environment to maintain its regional and international competitiveness. This is extremely important for the sector, JIB and various business associations who will be responsible for promoting local and foreign investment to develop the sector. Of particular importance will be ICT and BPO investment. Once a stable and attractive investment environment secured, a strategic ICT sector investment plan should be developed between INT@J, JIB and the Chambers of Trade and Commerce which will highlight opportunities for local and foreign investors. The plan should identify target markets and potential partners for investment. Strategic intent: ICT is a platform which will enable export led economic growth in ICT and other high value added sectors, through high value added product and service development, which leverages the energy and creativity of youth and Jordan’s educated population. ICT will enable greater competitiveness in specialized economic sectors which will develop sustainable high value added job growth as well as reduce the digital divide between Jordan and more developed countries with regards to ICT development and use. Vision Statement: A collaborative Jordanian public and private ICT sector that develops and maintains a fair competitive environment that attracts and encourages further investment in the sector which translates into the development of innovative, competitive (exportable) and affordable products and services which satisfy customer needs enabling Jordan to be viewed as a regional ICT hub for the development and delivery of competitive ICT products and services. Mission Statement: ICT is Jordan’s engine of economic growth and job creation through harnessing the energy, creativity and talents of its educated youth to extend establish and maintain export markets by:  enabling local high value added (non-ICT) sectors to improve their competitiveness,  Exploiting and developing national infrastructure,  Developing international technical and business linkages and  Serving regional and international technology and operational needs. 20