World Bank GovTech Operations in Jordan: A Digital Transformation Case Study
Executive Summary
The Government of Jordan aims to enhance public service delivery through a user-centric approach, driven by the government’s Digital Transformation Strategy (DTS). The goal is to create jobs and attract private investment in a context marked by high unemployment and economic uncertainty. The Digital Transformation Strategy includes a comprehensive digital platform called "SANAD," which is being developed with World Bank support.
Key Components of SANAD
- Purpose: SANAD is a single sign-on digital services platform hosted on the government cloud, designed to become the backbone for online service delivery.
- Current Status: As of the end of 2023, SANAD has incorporated over 500 digital services, including:
- Personal record retrieval
- Passport issuance and renewal
- Lost or damaged driving license replacement
- Birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificate issuance
- Health insurance card issuance
- Social security application services
- Non-criminal certificate issuance
- Certificate of good conduct issuance
- Import and export application services
- Digital signature for documents
- Payment of bills and fees
- Appointment scheduling for government services
Digital ID and Service Uptake
- Digital ID Activation: Citizens can now activate a digital ID that allows access to transactional services through SANAD. As of the end of 2023, approximately 810,000 digital IDs have been activated.
- Service Usage Growth: According to the government’s 2022 Household ICT Use and Prevalence Survey, 23% of individuals aged 18 and above had received public e-services, up from 14% in 2021.
- Expansion Plans: The government plans to expand digital ID usage to non-Jordanians in 2024 and will facilitate activation at refugee camps. Additionally, the government is building Government Service Centers in each governorate, with four already open.
Institutional Reforms and Performance Improvements
- Enabling Reforms: Initiatives include adopting the government’s DTS, improving data transparency, enhancing citizen feedback mechanisms, and digitizing public procurement.
- Public Value Assessment: A public value assessment reviewed 25 key e-services, leading to improvements based on the assessment’s recommendations.
- National Service Register (NSR): The NSR lists all 2,400 government services, along with required documentation, facilitating better service delivery.
Challenges and Future Directions
- Institutional Mindset Shift: There is a need for a shift in institutional mindset, particularly overcoming bureaucratic inertia and breaking down organizational silos.
- Human Resources: Recruiting and retaining staff with necessary technical skills can be challenging due to strong market demand and competition with private sector salaries.
- Agile Collaboration: World Bank support should be agile and multisectoral, with flexible, iterative project management to address rapidly changing contexts.
Lessons Learned
- Strong Leadership: Strong leadership and focus on change management are crucial for overcoming bureaucratic inertia and fostering cross-government collaboration.
- Human Resources: Human resources are key to implementation capacity, highlighting the challenges of recruiting and retaining skilled personnel.
- Multisector Collaboration: Cross-sector collaboration among World Bank teams and a flexible, iterative approach are essential for successful GovTech projects.
This summary captures the main aspects of the Jordanian GovTech initiative, focusing on the development and implementation of SANAD, digital ID usage, institutional reforms, and key challenges and lessons learned.