Amman (August 31) –The USAID Jordan Local Enterprise Support Project (LENS) signed an agreement today with the Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC) to support the competitiveness and sustainability of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Jordan’s land transport sector. The partnership will provide hundreds of businesses with the training and support necessary to meet new regulations passed by the LTRC in 2014, mandating that commercial vehicle drivers acquire new certification and safety tools to guarantee international safety standards.

USAID LENS will work with the LTRC to support MSEs in overcoming financial and operational challenges they may encounter in meeting these new regulations and improve their competitiveness. The partnership will entail implementing a nation-wide curriculum and a trainer of trainers program aimed at helping MSEs respond to these new regulations and acquire the necessary certifications. This initiative will also create new business opportunities and revenue streams for training centers and mechanics across the country.

H.E Dr. Lina Shbeeb, Minister of Transport, said: “The initiative between the LTRC and USAID will complement and support the Ministry of Transport’s economic development strategies and strengthen the role of the private sector in increasing the efficiency of the transport system.”

Marwan Alhmood, Director General of LTRC, said: “Not only does our partnership with USAID help us comply with international standards to ensure safety and efficiency on our roads, it also helps us support the vitality of MSEs in the land transport sector and contribute to Jordan’s economic growth.”

“The growth of MSEs is vital to Jordan’s economic development,” said USAID Mission Director Jim Barnhart, “We are proud to work hand in hand with the Jordanian government to ensure that the business environment supports their growth and development, enabling them in turn to create more job opportunities for Jordanians.”

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USAID LENS is a five-year project supporting small businesses and economic planning to strengthen Jordanian communities against economic adversity. For more information, visit www.jordanlens.org

For more information about USAID/Jordan, log on to http://www.usaid.gov/Jordan and https://www.facebook.com/USAIDJordan.