Business Corruption in Jordan
Corruption is an obstacle for businesses in Jordan. A system of
wasta
(middlemen) is common throughout the country and is considered part of doing business, thus making transactions opaque and hindering competitiveness. Other obstacles to business include high levels of bureaucracy,
red tape
, vague regulations and conflicting jurisdictions. Jordan's
Penal Code
criminalises corruption, including
abuse of office
,
bribery
,
money laundering
and
extortion
, but the government does not implement the law effectively. Corrupt public officials are not systematically punished, and high-ranking civil servants are rarely prosecuted. Demands of
facilitation payments
and bribery may be encountered but are less frequent than in other Middle Eastern countries, and
gifts
are criminalised under Jordanian law.
May 2015
GAN Integrity Solutions