Jordanian columnists have examined the performance of the national economy in light of escalating regional challenges. Economic writer Salameh Al-Darawsha highlighted three positive indicators, noting that progress in the International Monetary Fund programme, the stability of Jordan’s credit rating affirmed by Moody’s, and the continuation of major development projects all reflect the country’s capacity to withstand crises while maintaining its reform path.

Al-Darawsha pointed to three simultaneous positive signals. He explained that the completion of the fifth review under the IMF Extended Fund Facility serves as clear evidence of Jordan’s commitment to reform, despite a highly complex regional environment. He also stressed that the IMF’s positive assessment indicates that structural reforms are moving in the right direction. In addition, he argued that Moody’s decision to maintain a stable credit outlook reflects strong global investor confidence in Jordan’s ability to meet its obligations, enhancing investment attractiveness and supporting exchange rate stability. He further noted that the government’s continued implementation of major projects, such as the National Water Carrier and railway initiatives, demonstrates a strategic economic approach aimed at stimulating growth and reducing exposure to external volatility.

On the other hand, writer Maaher Abu Al-Toor warned of the negative spillovers of regional conflict on the Jordanian economy. He pointed out that monthly increases in fuel prices have raised production costs across key sectors, including industry, transport, and agriculture. He also argued that weak enforcement and limited market oversight have allowed traders and producers to raise prices arbitrarily, stressing the urgent need for a formal regulatory body to manage and monitor markets without undermining free-market principles. According to him, crises tend to expose underlying structural weaknesses, making it essential for the government to adopt permanent policy tools rather than short-term reactive measures.

Meanwhile, Fadi Al-Khaytan focused on the broader regional economic implications of the conflict. He noted that the crisis has highlighted the importance of renewed cooperation between the Levant and Gulf countries after years of weakened regional ties. He explained that states are increasingly seeking alternative transport and energy routes away from traditional reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. He also observed that the war has reshaped regional relations, with Jordan now playing a central role in a Gulf-led effort to strengthen railway links with Syria and Turkey, reinforcing its position as a key hub in regional integration projects, particularly in energy and transport networks.

Al-Khaytan further argued that despite its high economic cost, the current crisis has revived the long-dormant idea of Arab economic integration. Countries, he noted, are no longer treating trade and energy purely as economic issues but as components of national strategic security. As a result, discussions on new transport corridors, rail connections across the Levant and Turkey, and the reactivation of maritime routes from Aqaba to eastern Mediterranean ports have shifted from theoretical proposals to emerging practical realities shaped by current pressures.

He added that Jordan has become increasingly integrated into these developments, not only because of its geographic location but also due to its growing role in regional supply chains, including gas transit to Syria and Lebanon and expanded trade flows with Iraq and the Gulf. This evolving role, he argued, redefines Jordan’s geopolitical and economic position as a central connector rather than a peripheral transit route, opening broader economic opportunities if effectively leveraged.

In a related context, writer Hamada Farawneh addressed a different dimension of the regional landscape, focusing on geopolitical shifts and their indirect economic impact. He noted that regional conflicts, particularly between the United States and Iran, have not been resolved militarily but have instead transitioned into more complex political and economic forms, affecting global energy markets and supply chains. He argued that the ongoing state of “neither war nor peace” places sustained pressure on import-dependent economies such as Jordan, which must cope with rising inflation and higher operational costs.

Farawneh concluded that such situations rarely produce clear winners, but rather generate mutual attrition that ultimately affects ordinary citizens in countries not directly involved in the conflict, mainly through rising prices and weakening economic stability.

Overall, the columnists’ writings reflect a dual interpretation of Jordan’s economic reality. One view emphasizes resilience, supported by reform momentum and international institutional backing, while the other warns that persistent regional pressures could evolve into a structural burden on the domestic economy unless managed through stricter and more effective market regulation and productivity-enhancing policies.