Final INLOG Workshop in Jordan Signals New Momentum for Local Governance Reform
The final in-country workshop of the INLOG programme has now taken place in Jordan, with the participation of Anna Rosendahl, Head of Section for Regional Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy, alongside a representative from the Swedish Dialogue Institute (SDI).
During the workshop, the SDI shared key insights into their important regional work and discussed promising ways that the INLOG group might continue collaborating with the institute moving forward.
Guide to support local urban plans
A highlight of the event was the presentation by the Jordanian INLOG team of a new guide to support local municipalities in developing sustainable, participatory, and evidence-based urban plans. The guide provides essential guidance on data collection, the use of GIS-based mapping, and a vision-oriented methodology that enables local governments to carry out qualitative analyses — a crucial foundation for sound and forward-looking decision-making. This tool is particularly timely, as Jordan is currently shaping a new local administration law aimed at strengthening citizen participation in urban planning.
In her remarks, the Embassy and Anna Rosendahl praised the team’s efforts:
“This guide represents a meaningful step forward in strengthening local governance in Jordan. It is the result of thoughtful collaboration, learning, and shared commitment to making urban planning more inclusive, responsive, and resilient. We commend the Jordan team and all involved for your dedication and creativity throughout the process.”
The guide has already been piloted in several municipalities, with feedback from these experiences integrated into the final version to ensure it responds to real contextual needs. The Jordan INLOG team emphasised how the learning process, together with exchanges of experience with regional peers, has played a crucial role in strengthening both the national and regional communities of practice.
A more modern local governance
The workshop clearly demonstrated how INLOG is contributing to the modernisation of local governance in Jordan — supporting more inclusive urban planning and reinforcing ongoing institutional reform.