Day: May 12, 2022

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the Israeli authorities’ demolition of a number of Palestinian homes in southern West Bank area of Masafer Yatta and its residents’ displacement, as well as Israel’s approval of plans to build more than 4,000 settlement units in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In a statement on Thursday, the ministry’s official spokesperson, Haitham Abu al-Foul, said Israel’s settlement expansion and residents’ displacement from their homes is a “flagrant violation and a grave violation” of international law and international legitimacy resolutions, foremost is Security Council Resolution No. 2334.

In addition, the spokesperson noted “Israel’s unilateral practices, the occupying power, such as building and expanding settlements, confiscating land and displacing Palestinians are illegal, illegitimate, rejected and deplored, and represent a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”

These Israeli actions also undermine peace foundations and efforts aimed to resolve the Middle East conflict and achieve comprehensive and just solution and sabotage chances of a two-state solution, based on international legitimacy resolutions, he noted.

Source: Jordan News Agency

A Jordanian industrial delegation on Wednesday took part in the Africa Arab Investment Forum, held in the Algerian capital.

In a statement, head of the Jordan and Amman Chambers of Industry, Fathi Jaghbeer, said that the Forum brought together African and Arab business communities on one platform with a view to exploring business opportunities and investment rapprochement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“Participants tackled means of increasing trade exchange with African countries, in addition to finding investment opportunities and factors for developing exports,” he added.

On the Forum’s sidelines, Jordan’s delegation discussed with the head of the Algerian Businessmen Association ways to cementing bilateral cooperation and boosting economic and investment ties.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Director of Public Security Directorate (PSD) Major Gen. Hussein Hawatmeh, discussed with Chief of Defence Forces of Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF), Gen. Venance Salvatory Mabeyo and his accompanying delegation, ways to enhance frameworks of joint cooperation, especially in the security, police and civil protection areas.

Hawatmeh said an important part of Jordan’s security strategy is based on cooperation and expertise exchange with security bodies in various countries across the world.

Jordan, he noted, is looking forward today to achieve more cooperation with Tanzanian government, and it is also harnessing all its expertise and training capabilities to help Tanzanian side.

Mabeyo, for his part, commended the existing joint cooperation, noting today’s discussions will pave the way for a “new” phase of cooperation, as agreed upon mutually, which would be reflected in the security-related performance and capability levels.

The Tanzanian delegation also listened to a briefing on the nature of the PSD’s duties and the security and humanitarian services provided to citizens.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Majesty King Abdullah, accompanied by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, met on Wednesday with US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House leadership, in Washington, DC.

In remarks to the media ahead of his meeting with Pelosi, King Abdullah commended the United States’ support to Jordan, “I’m delighted to be back here, and, as always, I thank the American people and the US Congress for the great support that they provide to our country Jordan and to the region”.

His Majesty said he looks forward to the meeting to discuss means of moving the region towards the light, and finding a new vision to the Middle East whereby leaders work toward achieving stability, especially with two years into the COVID pandemic.

The King pointed to the impact of the crisis between Ukraine and Russia on stability and food security in the region.

For her part, House Speaker Pelosi said she looks forward to discussing the issues of security, economy, and climate, adding that she is keen to listen to His Majesty’s views on the issues of energy and water in the region, as well as addressing the implications of the pandemic.

“I’ve worked with His Majesty and his family for decades. We have always, in Congress, had the benefit of his wisdom, his knowledge and his judgment of the region”, she said, welcoming the King and the Crown Prince in the Congress.

Pelosi highlighted the bi-partisan (Democratic and Republican) interest in what His Majesty has to say, pointing to the Defense Cooperation Agreement, which the two countries signed in 2021 to fight the terrorist group of “Islamic State”, and promote regional stability and security.

The US House speaker referred to her last visit to Jordan before “COVID”, in which she encountered Jordan’s efforts in hosting Syrian refugees, expressing appreciation to these efforts, especially the services targeting children.

The meeting covered the latest regional developments, with His Majesty stressing the need for Middle East countries to work collectively to counter food security challenges, in addition to the high prices of food, and its scarcity.

Turning to the Palestinian cause, the King reaffirmed the need to galvanise the peace process and relaunch negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The meeting also discussed means of reaching political solutions to regional crises, to retain security and stability to peoples of the region, in addition to to efforts to counter terrorism.

US House leadership commended the deeply-rooted historical relations between Jordan and the United States, as well as the Kingdom’s pivotal role to promote regional stability and achieve peace.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Jordan’s Ambassador in Washington Dina Kawar attended the meetings.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Over 27,000 residents of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have been affected by extensive heavy rains that began on Sunday, according to the regional emergency management department.

“Rainfall has caused flooding in 22 counties across nine cities in the region, affecting more than 27,000 people,” it said late Wednesday.

The affected crop area has totaled 2,392 hectares, leading to direct economic losses of 104 million yuan (about 15.4 million U.S. dollars).

The regional flood control and drought relief headquarters has upgraded the level of its emergency response, and has sent working groups to the cities to conduct flood control and relief work.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Jordan Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO) announced Thursday that a new operational factory produced about 20Kg of yellow cake from 160 tons of uranium ore.

The JUMCO General Director Muhammad Shunnaq said that the factory is set to produce tens of kilograms of yellow cake, a mainstay of industrial production, after processing hundreds of tons of uranium ore over the next few months. He underscored that the production stages were carried out in accordance with international standards, specifically the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

This achievement, he added, is due to the company’s team efforts over the past few years, which has enabled it to obtain the necessary data, measurements and engineering designs and the cost of production.

Shunnaq indicated that the company has created a physical preparatory lab and specialized mining and analytical labs on the company’s field site to conduct experiments and research.

Founded in 2013, the JUMCO has worked to increase operations to explore, mine, and exploit sources of nuclear materials in the central area of the Kingdom in accordance with the Joint Ore Reserves Committee requirements. It issued three reports to pinpoint the amount of uranium in Jordan, which is estimated at 41,000 tons of uranium oxide (U3O8) at a concentration rate of 150 parts per million.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Jordan Customs Department (JCD) personnel seized, in cooperation with the security bodies, a factory manufacturing tobacco for shisha (water pipe) and faked famous brands.

Head of the Anti-smuggling Department Col. Raed al-Sheyyab said that the personnel also seized packaging machines, tobacco for water pipe and faked famous brands printed on papers.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for Arab States on Thursday called for the protection of all civilians during hostilities or conflicts, particularly complete and unconditional neutralization for females and vulnerable people.

UNFPA Arab States Regional Director Luay Shabaneh stressed that the assassination of Shireen Abu Aqla, a Palestinian journalist and Al-Jazeera correspondent in Palestine, while carrying out her civic activities as a journalist and reporter, is further evidence of the dangers threatening Palestinian civilians, especially women and girls.

The journalist lost her life while covering the events in Jenin camp at Wednesday dawn, he noted.

“Ghada Sabateen – a widow and mother of 6 children in her forties – was shot dead last month at the eastern entrance of Husan village in Bethlehem governorate, and in the village of Faqqua, Jenin district, Hanan Khadour – a high school student – also died after being shot,” he said.

He called for ensuring that all measures are taken and all guarantees are provided to protect civilians, especially women and girls.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) President Fathi Jaghbir on Thursday met Algeria’s Minister of Trade and Export Promotion Kamel Rezig to discuss boosting two-way trade between the two countries.

Jaghbir said the JCI intends to organize a Jordanian industrial delegation visit to Algeria in June to discuss prospects of export to the country, stressing the importance of Algeria’s market for national exports to tap into markets of the Maghreb and other African countries and the European Union, according to a statement.

During the meeting, which took place in the capital Algiers, Rezig underscored the need to enhance trade exchange, especially for key commodities and services needed in the two countries’ markets.

Source: Jordan News Agency