Day: January 29, 2022

Categories
Affairs

JCC calls on developing Arab-Russian economic strategy

Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Chairman, Nael Kabariti, called on setting a comprehensive Arab-Russian economic strategy, based on Russia’s long-standing scientific and industrial progress and broad Arab capabilities.

Speaking at the Forum of Russian-Arab Business Council, held in Dubai, Kabariti stressed the need to market and attract Arab-Russian investments to reach an economic alliance that parallels major global blocs.

According to a JCC press statement Saturday, Kabariti said Arab-Russian relations are “historic and reflect a long-standing fabric of economic, cultural and social contact.”

Kabariti urged the two sides to focus on cooperation, which involves joint scientific research, transfer of knowledge and investments based on modern technology and “not limited to real estate.”

Globally, he said the biggest competition in the future will be over food security, as Russia is one of the large producing countries of foodstuff, energy globally, he noted, adding that the Arab countries and Russia own the largest oil reserves worldwide.

Referring to Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on creating new economic mechanisms, he called on Arab countries and Russia to take this change into account.

In this regard, he said the pandemic-imposed new reality requires new patterns of cooperation and coordination.

The Arab-Russian cooperation prospects are “remarkable and wide,” he said, adding that investors and companies on both sides have a “huge” desire to build bridges of cooperation and coordination and benefit from exchanging expertise.

On future action, Kabariti stressed the need to increase level of Arab-Russian strategic relations, especially by investing in new, modern and advanced sectors, as well as food and agricultural security, infrastructure and clean energy fields.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Categories
Affairs

JEA: Jordan’s industrial exports grew ‘remarkably’ thanks to Royal efforts

National exports have witnessed “remarkable” growth and doubled several times, thanks to His Majesty King Abdullah II’s efforts to launch “distinguished” economic and trade partnership with many countries worldwide, according to Head of the Jordan Exporters Association (JEA), Ahmad Khudari.

In a statement on Saturday, on the occasion of His Majesty’s birthday, which falls on Sunday, Khudari noted Jordan’s industrial exports rose in value from JD500 million during the late last century to exceed JD5 billion now, adding industry’s stake reaches a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP).

Industrial exports, which now constitute 90% of the Kingdom’s total exports, reached 142 countries, thanks to signing bilateral and free trade agreements, foremost is joining World Trade Organization and the FTAs inked with the United States and Canada,he pointed out.

Khudari said Covid-19 crisis revealed the need for self-reliance, increasing production, expanding and diversifying existing industrial investments to reach self-sufficiency for many foodstuff, medical and basic commodities in a way that supports national security requirements.

Jordan’s exports are a solution to many economic problems, especially unemployment, in light of the small size of the local market, as finding new markets for products helps increase production and attract new investments, which would create more job opportunities for Jordanians, strengthen the Kingdom’s foreign currency reserves and improve trade balance, according to Khudari.

Khudari stressed the need to focus on increasing Jordanian exports, raising their competitiveness, and opening new destinations for Jordanian products by entering non-traditional markets, such as Africa, and enhancing presence in American and European markets.

JEA, since its establishment in 1988, has been making “remarkable” efforts to increase exports by organizing participation of Jordanian industrial companies in various exhibitions that reach markets in Canada, the United States, Africa, Europe, the Arab Gulf states and Australia, he noted.

JEA, he added, plans to study entering South American markets, which have large numbers of Arab residents that offers an opportunity to market Jordanian products there in the future.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Categories
Health

SSC: Healthcare workers’ families eligible to Covid death benefits

Dependents of doctors and frontline healthcare workers who have contracted the coronavirus and died during service can claim benefits under an annex to the social security law, according to the Social Security Corporation (SCC).

A Covid-19 infection in a public or private hospital or laboratory is considered an occupational disease and his/her death is a workplace fatality, and that the dependents are entitled to 75% of the monthly pay covered on the date of infection, under the social security law, the SCC said in a press release Saturday.

The corporation said it bears the cost of medical care for an infected worker in a private healthcare facility if the condition warrants admission under the terms set by the corporation, plus the daily allowances during the period of absence from work.

In cases of infection that result in a partial or total disability, a worker is eligible to a monthly salary, pending a final decision by the corporation, it said.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Categories
General

Light showers forecast Saturday in Jordan’s northern, central regions-JMD

Saturday will see a slight rise in temperatures, and the weather will be very cold. However, light showers of rain are forecast in Kingdom’s northern and central areas with southwesterly moderate winds, Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in its daily update.

In its report, the JMD warns of the danger of slippery roads due to the accumulated snow, fog-caused low horizontal visibility and frost formation in the early morning and late night hours, especially over hilltops and the possibility of flooding due to melting snow.

On Sunday, another slight rise in temperatures is forecast and the weather will be stable and very cold almost countrywide and relatively cold in the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Aqaba, During the late night hours, many areas will see frost formation, the JMD noted.

As for Monday, the weather will be very cold almost countrywide. During the evening hours, the Kingdom will be affected by a weak state of atmospheric instability, and showers of rain are forecast occasionally in the Kingdom’s northern and central regions, the JMD pointed out.

Also on Saturday, mercury in the capital Amman will range between a high of 7 degrees Celsius and a low of -2 degrees during night hours, meanwhile Aqaba will see a fair 19C, dipping into 8C at night.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Categories
General

Agriculture Ministry responds to hundreds of emergencies during snowstorm

The Ministry of Agriculture said Saturday its emergency teams responded to hundreds of incidents and complaints, many of them were falling trees, during the snowstorm that swept across the Kingdom.

Agriculture Minister Khaled Hnaifat said crews dealt with dozens of incidents of downed trees that blocked roads or branches falling on power lines and causing outages or disruptions, adding that the Amman response crews were reinforced to promptly deal with citizens’ complaints.

Hnaifat directed ministry personnel to assess the damage to trees at institutions and sports facilities, and replace fallen trees with ones that withstand severe weather conditions and snow, such as carob, cypress and peppertree.

The minister said post-storm work continues to trim or remove trees that were affected by snow, adding that the ministry is monitoring any attempt at deforestation, using the weather as a pretext.

Hnaifat said the ministry is tracking weather forecasts and possible frost formation and assessing the impact of freezing in production zones.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Categories
General

Planning ministry launches 2022 national VNR taskforces in Jordan

The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation has launched task teams to prepare Jordan’s 2nd Voluntary National Review report, or VNR, which is scheduled to be presented at the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) meeting next July in New York.

According to a ministry statement on Saturday, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Jordan, Ghulam M. Isaczai, attended the workshop to outline 2nd VNR, alongside all stakeholders who include representatives of government institutions, United Nations organizations, civil society institutions and the private sector.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, the ministry’s Secretary-General and Chairman of the Supreme National Committee for Sustainable Development, Marwan Rifai, said this workshop represents an “true” beginning to develop a document that includes the “real” evaluation of national efforts aimed to achieve the sustainable development goals.

The 2nd VNR will be presented next July during the HLPF meeting at the United Nations in New York, under the title: “Building Forward Better after Covid -19 towards achieving the 2030 Agenda,” Rifai pointed out.

Jordan, he said, has committed to implementing the sustainable development agenda since its launch in 2015, and has accomplished many of its objectives related to eradicating poverty and hunger, and improving the citizens’ living standards by providing quality education and health services.

In parallel, he noted measures are taken to conserve environment, provide clean energy and water, and intensify efforts to contain the climate change impacts, noting that Jordan submitted its first VNR in 2017, and was one of the first countries to launch the review process.

Challenges related to the Syrian refugee crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic still ravage the Kingdom’s developmental gains made over years. However, Jordan’s government continues to work to link sustainable development goals with various governmental and national policies, strategies and programs, with the aim of accelerating the desired progress in implementing the agenda items, Rifai pointed out.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY