The Government of Jordan, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will co-host a conference on May 11-12, 2014, in Amman, Jordan, to discuss the key challenges and opportunities of economic transformation in Arab countries in transition. Specifically, the conference “Building the Future: Jobs, Growth, and Fairness in the Arab World will address four related issues: macroeconomic policies for stability and inclusive growth, transparency and governance, business climate and youth employment.

The conference will bring together more than 200 participants, including policy makers from the Middle East and North Africa, external partners, leading members of the private sector, civil society, and academia to discuss policies that can lead to better job creation, equity, and growth in the region.

“I am looking forward to constructive discussions on forming economic visions for this important region” IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said.

“The Amman conference will provide an open forum for the region’s top policy representatives and other stakeholders to discuss strategies to generate the strong and inclusive growth required to reduce unemployment, especially among the young, and raise standards of living across the Arab world,”, Ms. Lagarde added.

Conference participants will have the opportunity to draw lessons from other regions with similar experience of fundamentally transforming their economies.

The conference opening and closing sessions on May 12 will be live webcast. A website (http://www.imf.org/external/np/seminars/eng/2014/act/index.htm) for the conference with further details is being launched today on March 14, 2014, and includes media registration.

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