Day: November 2, 2021

Categories
Government Policy

Crown Prince inaugurates Amazon’s new office in Amman

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Tuesday inaugurated the new corporate office of Amazon, the international e-commerce company, in the Abdali district in Amman.

Crown Prince Al Hussein said Jordan is working on enhancing private investments, highlighting the important role of international technology companies in supporting economic growth and creating job opportunities.

His Royal Highness listened to a briefing by Vice President of Amazon MENA Ronaldo Mashhour on the goals of the company and its future development plans.

Mashhour commended technological advancement in Jordan, which supports the operations of Amazon’s regional office, lauding the capabilities of Jordanian human resources.

He said the new office will help accommodate more Jordanian employees, who currently stand at 1,220, with plans to double their number in 2022 and take on more responsibilities, including data processing and analysis, digital content creation, artificial intelligence utilisation, technology development, customer service, and regional operational support.

Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh said Amazon’s investments are in line with the national digital economy strategy, which seeks to enhance the capacities of human resources, and provide job opportunities to advance Jordan as a regional and international hub in development and technical services.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY

Categories
Technology

CPF delegation visits Al Al-Bayt University

A delegation from the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) on Tuesday visited the Al Al-Bayt University, to arrange for organizing and holding a voluntary activity and an introductory meeting for the CPF’s initiatives.

University President, Hani Dmour expressed the university’s readiness to develop communication with the CPF’s initiatives, pointing out that the university is located within a large geographical scope, which provides an opportunity to be a hub for implementing the foundation’s initiatives that serve the university and the people of Mafraq Governorate, northern Jordan.

For his part, Dean of Student Affairs, Sayel Al-Sarhan, stressed the importance of cooperation between the university and the CPF to serve students, graduates and the local community.

He lauded the foundation’s efforts in investing youth energies, training and directing them for the better and creating the appropriate environment for them to practice business and activities that contribute to providing them with suitable opportunities in the labor, creativity and innovation markets.

The CPF’s delegation included the foundation’s initiative Deputy Director, Husam Awamleh, Director of Media and Public Relations, Bashar Husban, Director of the “NAHNO (WE)” platform and a graduate of Al Al-Bayt University Omran Hmoud.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY

Categories
Affairs

Capital Bank, Dutch’s FMO sign cooperation agreement

Capital Bank of Jordan and the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank (FMO) announced the signing of a USD20 million NASIRA guarantee program.

This guarantee is earmarked for MSME loans to COVID-19-affected and young entrepreneurs, to be originated by companies lending to small businesses in Jordan, United Liwwa for SME Financing (Liwwa) and Sanadcom.

This is a landmark transaction in the MENA region, allowing alternative MSME lenders; Liwwa and Sanadcom to access sustainable funding through a local tier 1 bank. It mobilises larger volumes of local funds that would otherwise not get to these alternative lenders.

The NASIRA programme is a risk-sharing facility for local financial institutions supported by the European Union (European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD)) and MASSIF, the financial inclusion fund FMO manages on behalf of the Dutch government.

It is a new way of unlocking support to underserved segments, specifically young, female, migrant, and COVID-19-affected entrepreneurs, groups that often remain underbanked due to high risks – both perceived and real involving absence of collateral and credit history, among others. The NASIRA guarantee program takes away this hurdle by agreeing in advance to share possible credit losses.

To support and strengthen Capital Bank of Jordan’s efforts to reach the underserved MSMEs, FMO will provide a NASIRA loan portfolio guarantee covering loans provided to young and COVID-19-affected entrepreneurs. The underlying loans will be used for income-generating activities.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY

Categories
Affairs

Jordan, Palestine talk bolstering trade, investment

Jordan’s trade minister and his Palestinian counterpart Tuesday held a meeting in Ramallah to explore increasing the trade volume and establishing joint investments.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Shamali and his Palestinian counterpart Khaled Osaily discussed the preparations underway to hold the “Higher Joint Palestinian-Jordanian Commission” meeting slated to take place in Ramallah 7-9 November.

The meeting urged translating memos and agreements signed by the two countries that would boost the two-way trade and contribute to making the movement of goods easier.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY

Categories
Affairs

Energy minister, EU envoy discuss joint cooperation

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, discussed with EU Ambassador to Jordan, Maria Hadjitheodosiou, on Tuesday discussed joint cooperation in the energy sector and ways to enhance it, especially in the field of renewable energy and energy storage.

In the meeting, Kharabsheh highlighted challenges facing the electricity sector in the Kingdom, and ways of cooperation within the framework of partnership with the European EU to advance the renewable energy sector and energy storage in a way that enhances local energy sources, increases its contribution to the overall energy mix and in electricity production and reduces its operational costs.

He lauded the EU support to Jordan, and said that the bloc is a key partner to the Kingdom.

Hadjitheodosiou said that the EU will continue to support Jordan in various fields, including its assistance in absorbing the repercussions of the Syrian refugee crisis, and developing its domestic sources of energy by focusing on growth and the green economy, in line with the EU’s green policy.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY

Categories
Affairs

97% of ASE listed companies submit third quarterly reports

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) Bassam Abu Abbas Tuesday said that 97% out of 173 listed companies have provided the ASE with their reviewed quarterly reports during the specified period through the e-disclosure System XBRL.

This high percentage reflects the compliance of listed companies with the laws and regulations, and the compliance of such companies with the principles of transparency and disclosure, Abu Abbas underlined.

He added that all companies listed on the ASE should provide to the ASE with their reviewed interim reports within the specified period, according to the Directives for Listing Securities on the ASE.

Abu Abbas said that the ASE posts these financial statements on the ASE website www.exchange.jo under Circulars and Disclosures/ quarterly reports window.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY

Categories
Health

UK reports 293 COVID fatalities

The UK’s health department Tuesday reported 293 COVID-19 deaths, taking the death toll to 140,964.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said 33,865 people tested positive for the highly contagious lung disease, as the caseload tops 9.1 million.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY

Categories
Health

Canada reports 25 COVID fatalities

The Canadian health authorities Tuesday reported 25 COVID-19 deaths, taking the death toll to 2,156.

Health Canada said more than 1,370 people tested positive for the highly contagious respiratory disease, as the caseload hovers around 204,900.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AGENCY