Fact Sheet: US Expands Digital Freedom Initiative to Jordan

Presidential Action

Today, President Bush announced the expansion of the U.S. Digital Freedom Initiative to Jordan.

Digital Freedom Initiative (DFI): The United States is committed to helping countries bridge the digital divide and generate economic growth and opportunity. DFI promotes transfer of information and communication technology (ICT) to benefit entrepreneurs and small businesses in developing countries. It also aims to help countries create a pro-competitive policy and regulatory environment. The program is a public-private partnership and is supported by the USA Freedom Corps' Volunteers for Prosperity initiative.

Key Objectives of the DFI:

• Enable innovation through volunteer-led business and entrepreneur assistance;
• Drive pro-growth legal and regulatory reform; and
• Leverage existing information and communications infrastructure to promote economic growth.

Expansion to Jordan: Today President Bush welcomed Jordan as a DFI partner country. The activities to be pursued in Jordan include:

• Supporting American ICT business volunteers to provide assistance to companies in the burgeoning Jordanian ICT sector, specifically aimed at small and medium enterprises;
• Strengthening the capacity of business associations to serve their members using e-mail, web-sites, and e-learning capabilities; and
• Supporting Jordan's private sector policy initiatives relating to e-commerce and a competitive telecommunications environment.