Trade Accelerator

Focused support for Jordanian businesses to foster rapid growth and help them tap into the European market and hire refugees to do so.

In 2016, the Government of Jordan and the international community forged the Jordan Compact, which aims to provide 200,000 employment opportunities to refugees. Included in the compact were preferential trade terms to help unlock the lucrative European market for Jordanian businesses that would hire 25% refugee labor.

The Trade Accelerator concept was developed in collaboration between the Airbel Center and McKinsey & Company. The Trade Accelerator aimed to help Jordanian companies take advantage of the Jordan Compact, in turn providing employment opportunities for refugees.

With government sponsorship, the accelerator would provide tailored services to domestic companies to help them grow their EU exports. After up to a year of focused support, a new cohort of companies would cycle through the program. Throughout the process, investments would be made to measure impact and identify lessons learned, both to improve support for future cohorts and help shape broader export strategies.

Due to high costs associated with trade accelerator, IRC opted to pursue direct labor market intervention.