Amman, June 30 (Petra) — The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply
on Tuesday launched a national Training of Trainers (TOT) program in
digital trade. The initiative is run in cooperation with the
International Trade Centre (ITC) under the “Promoting E-Commerce and
Digital Trade in the MENA Region” project, which is implemented by
the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

The program aims to establish a national network of qualified
trainers and consultants specialized in digital trade to provide
technical and advisory support to small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), with a particular focus on the services sector. The
initiative is designed to develop digital operations for these
businesses and enhance their access to regional and global markets.

The specialized curriculum covers digital marketing, content
creation, e-pricing strategies, electronic payment systems,
logistics, and inventory management, as well as methodologies for
providing e-commerce consultancy to SMEs. Participants who complete
the requirements will receive an international certification from the
ITC before proceeding to a practical phase that involves mentoring
service-sector SMEs to accelerate their digital transformation.

The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply,
Dana Al-Zoubi, stated that the program aligns with government
directives to accelerate the digital transformation of the national
economy, boost the competitiveness of Jordanian companies, and
increase service exports.

She added that the project supports the objectives of the second
phase of the National E-Commerce Strategy (2026–2029) and the
National Export Strategy, both of which focus on building digital
capacities and expanding international market presence.

Al-Zoubi emphasized that the program’s success relies on
public-private partnerships, praising the role of chambers of
commerce and industry, as well as business development associations,
in identifying enterprise needs and delivering sustainable
development services.

In a related development, the ministry concluded the first phase of
the TechForward program, implemented in cooperation with the
Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan
(int@j) and GIZ’s “Innovative Private Sector Development Approaches
for Employment Promotion (I-PSD)” project. The closing ceremony was
attended by representatives from the public and private sectors,
higher education institutions, and participating companies.

The ministry affirmed that TechForward is a national initiative aimed
at strengthening the innovation ecosystem and public-private-academic
partnerships by aligning scientific research with market needs to
support company growth, in line with the National E-Commerce
Strategy, industrial policy, and the Economic Modernization Vision.

The first phase of TechForward engaged 17 Jordanian universities to
bridge the gap between higher education and the private sector.

The program successfully connected more than 60 graduation projects
with 35 Jordanian companies across various economic sectors, allowing
students to tackle real-world business challenges and convert their
graduation projects into practical, innovative solutions. The
ministry confirmed its continued support for the second phase of the
program to build on these results and further reinforce Jordan’s
position as a regional hub for innovation.

//Petra// AF