Cooperative Corporation... A new start towards modernization
The cooperative sector, in which cooperatives represent the mainstay of the combined efforts of individuals who have voluntarily come together to establish a joint project with self-financing to improve their living conditions and their economic, social and cultural circumstances, is an alternative to the public and private sectors as a third sector and an integral part of the social solidarity economy system.
This sector, with all its components, is based in its cooperative identity on universal principles and values approved by the member states of the International Cooperative Alliance ( ICA ), including Jordan. These principles and values are, by their nature, transnational. Contribute to Achieving economic and social development for individuals and countries at the same time, in addition to opening horizons for the exchange of experiences and cultures.
Due to the importance of cooperatives in Jordanian society, the first cooperative legislation was issued in 1952, and according to it the Cooperative Establishment Department was established in the Ministry of Construction and Reconstruction at that time, followed by the establishment of the first cooperative society for agricultural savings and loans in the Southern Ghor District in 1953, which is the “Ghor Al-Mazra’a and Haditha Society for Savings and Loans.”
The Jordanian cooperative movement has received royal attention that continues to this day, as the wise Hashemite leadership has not hesitated to support cooperatives in the desert, rural and outskirts, and has directed successive governments to give the cooperative sector great importance due to its multiple roles in development, and its ability to adapt and be flexible with all circumstances and segments of society at various levels, economic, social and cultural.
Therefore, cooperatives were among the priorities of the Economic Modernization Vision, which in turn emphasized the necessity of working to establish a system of cooperative societies and agricultural unions, in line with the requirements of the National Plan for Sustainable Agriculture (2022-2025), which drew attention to the importance of developing the systems of cooperative societies and unions.
Within the modernization process, and in accordance with the public sector development plan adopted by the government, which was in harmony with the outcomes of the National Strategy for the Jordanian Cooperative Movement (2021-2025), with the necessity of restructuring the Jordanian Cooperative Corporation in a way that ensures raising and improving its efficiency, enhancing its developmental role, and thus increasing the contribution of cooperatives to local development in light of the classification of cooperatives between agricultural, multi-purpose, housing, women's and youth, crafts, and others, in addition to developing agricultural activities and other economic activities, the
Corporation worked to amend the legislation regulating cooperative work to provide a favourable environment for cooperatives, and in order to establish the Cooperative Development Fund as a financing window, and to revive the Cooperative Development Institute to build capacities at the level of cooperatives and individuals in addition to the Corporation's cadres .
This continuous update led by the Jordanian state towards development Public sector Sustainable, advanced, empowered, and qualified to assume its duties efficiently and effectively, and meet the needs of citizens, required the cooperative institution to respond quickly to these requirements , and keep pace with the vision of economic modernization, and the plan for developing the public sector alike, with maximum speed and available capabilities, and also work on automating the institution’s services in partnership with the International Labor Organization ( ILO ) , and rehabilitating the cooperative training center with the support of the organization ( MERCY CORPS ) according to the latest technical systems, and developing the institution’s infrastructure , and providing a suitable environment for its employees in line with the goals of the new stage of the Jordanian state’s life in its second century .
These modernization procedures would not have been possible without the support and guidance of the Board of Directors of the Jordanian Cooperative Corporation, headed by His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture, Eng. Khaled Al-Hanifat; especially since the decisions taken by him aim to advance the cooperative sector and serve the cooperative societies and their members, not least of which is reducing the fees for establishing cooperatives by a percentage ranging between (50-75%).
Proceeding with steady steps in the process of modernizing the cooperative institution, with the completion of the development of the website in its new form , and completing the task in the best possible way in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship technically ;therefore, I extend My sincere thanks to all those who have joined forces to achieve this goal and to achieve our aspirations to keep pace with all the developments, visions and plans for modernization and development for our beloved Jordan under the Hashemite banner, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein, may God Almighty protect and preserve them.
General Director
Abdul Fattah Mohammed Shalabi