Google and the Jordanian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, today announced a strategic agreement of USD $10m through which Google will support Jordanian organizations efforts to promote their products and services using Google's advertising platforms, while reinvesting $2.5 million in the local ICT sector.
"Google's decision to play a more active role in the development of the ICT industry in the Kingdom, especially as it relates to entrepreneurship, is a testament to the maturity level of our sector" said, Mr Marwan Juma the Jordanian Minister of ICT. He also added that "this agreement will go along away in building capacity as it relates to strategic digital marketing through know-how transfer from Google to local organizations...a crucial knowledge to have in this day and age".
The agreement coincides with Google's biggest ever event in Jordan, developer days bringing together more than a thousand participants ranging from professional developers and webmasters to small business entrepreneurs, computer science professors and students. G-Jordan, running from December 12 to 14 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Amman, is designed to provide an informal environment for local participants to engage in open dialogue with technology and product experts as they experience Google technologies first hand.
As part of the $10 million agreement with the Jordanian government, Google will reinvest 25% of the amount back into the local Jordanian market, growing local Jordanian digital media start ups, incubation venture capital, angel funding of the information technology sector and potentially training students in online advertising.
Jordanian business will be able to reach customers around the world in an efficient manner thanks to their new ties with Google advertising. The advertisers will be 10 designated government entities including the Royal Jordanian, Greater Amman Municipality, Jordan Tourism Board, Petra Regional Authority, Jordan Investment Board, Kind Abdullah II Fund for Development , Development Area Commission, King Abdullah II for Design and Development Bureau, Business Park and ASIZA- Aqaba.
"We are proud to be collaborating with the Jordanian government and Dr. Marwan Juma'h," said Carlo D'Asaro Biondo Google VP SEEMEA. "Initiatives such as G-Jordan Days and this strategic agreement will pave the way for Jordanian entities to have more local and global exposure in the digital world as well as aim at modernizing in Jordan's IT ecosystem."
This strategic agreement aims to enable Jordanian government entities to expand their global reach in a targeted manner with a return on investment based ad model that ensures that the designated Jordanian entities have positive returns from their advertising spend.
"This is a breakthrough deal which we aim to duplicate throughout the Middle East.," said Ari Kesisoglu, Google's Regional Manager for the Middle East and North Africa. "It shows how both Google and governments can work together to create a virtuous economic circle."
