Jordan Times
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Study explores
socio-economic impact of Iraqi community in Jordan
By Mahmoud Al Abed
AMMAN Jordan should work on regulating the situation of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi expatriates in the Kingdom whose numbers have swelled to constitute no less than 5.5 per cent of the total population and have become a burden on the country's resources, a recent study concludes.
The paper, titled The Socio-Economic Impact of
the Iraqi Community in Jordan, one of four studies supported by Friedrich Ebert
Stiftung of Germany, was discussed in a workshop at the Royal Scientific Society
last week.
The programme seeks to evaluate the effects of developments in Iraq on Jordan's
economy.
Citing tallies worked out by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR), the survey places the number of Iraqis residing in Jordan
at between 200,000-300,000, but the research points to other studies, which
indicate that the Iraqi population in Jordan is between 300,00-400,000.
However, according to official records at the Public Security Department and
Labour Ministry only 11,754, Iraqis obtained a residence or work permit last
year.
Although researcher Abdul Salam Nueimat, who conducted the study, acknowledges
that there are positive aspects of the existence of the Iraqi community such
as the availability of cheap and trained labour, growing investments and a
bustling transport sector he says these favourable effect, do not offset the
cons of the situation, where the guest Iraqis fleeing the war zone in their
country are placing too much pressure on the Kingdom's already meagre resources.
The study also cites other social and security effects that have prompted
authorities to earmark more funds for the security services to enforce law and
order and preserve the image of Jordan as a secure country.
The researcher estimates that each Iraqi in Jordan spends at least JD649
annually on daily needs, or a total of JD259.6 million a year, a matter which
burdens the country's trade balance because of the growing demand on
commodities, many of which are imported.
But the greatest challenge lies in the energy bill, which is the most costly to
the country's economy.
The study estimates that Iraqis consume energy, in terms of both household and
transport needs, worth JD35-47.5 million a year. They also use water valued
approximately at JD26.1-57.7 million annually.
Due to the fact that Jordan imports 98 per cent of its energy needs and is on
the list of the 10 water poorest countries in the world, the picture becomes
clearer on the need to minimise the number of expatriates residing in the
Kingdom, according to the study.
Nueimat lists several procedures authorities could take to minimise the negative
impact of such pressures. These include introducing visa requirements, raising
fees on work and residence permits, imposing harsher penalties on landlords who
rent their properties to, or employers who hire Iraqis who do not hold the
required documents, ensuring closer follow-up on expatriates, deporting
violators and encouraging non-Jordanians to invest in Jordan, among other steps.
Apart from that, Jordan can also hope for an improvement in the security
situation and stability in Iraq and for the success of the reconstruction
process in the war-torn country, which the study cites as major factors that
would affect the future of the Iraqi community in the Kingdom.