Day: May 17, 2022

Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, on Tuesday launched the Electronic Integrated Disease Surveillance System (EIDSS) project, funded by the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

“This project, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, is part of an agreement between the Agriculture Ministry and DTRA, with an estimated support of $716,000, in cooperation with the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) General Command,” Hneifat said in the launching ceremony.

He stressed the importance of livestock to the national economy, especially as it constitute 60 per cent of the agricultural sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said that the ministry is seeking, through its staff across the Kingdom, to control animal diseases due to their danger against the livestock.

He pointed out that Jordan is moving towards modernizing and improving veterinary services through 3 animal hospitals in the regions, in addition to efforts to control fictitious holdings to ensure that government support reaches real breeders.

For his part, JAF representative, Brigadier General Imad Khamaiseh, underscored the strong cooperation between DTRA and JAF. He added that the EIDSS project aims to enhance the ability of ministries of agriculture and health to detect and early warn of diseases and epidemics of animal origin, and contributes to addressing the dangers of epidemics outbreak.

The EIDSS constitutes a milestone in the development of veterinary services in the Kingdom, as it links the ministry’s veterinary centers to the main center and facilitates early detection of animal and common diseases through veterinarians and immediate notification so that epidemiological information reaches the center immediately for analysis and drawing conclusions to help the decision-maker to take the best control and countering measures.

The EIDSS includes sections for laboratory samples, epidemiological investigation, immunization campaigns and other veterinary activities, and the link is made with the Ministry of Health regarding human diseases of animal origin.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, on Tuesday signed on behalf the government, a memorandum of understanding with the International Olive Council (IOC) to host its 115th meeting.

The IOC meeting is scheduled to convene in Amman from June 7 to June 9, with the participation of representatives of member states and all advisory committees.

Hneifat, who is also the IOC president, underlined the importance of hosting the meeting given Jordan’s distinguished position within the global olive map, as well as the importance of exchanging technical and marketing expertise, and developing olive cultivation and industry.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Minister of Social Development (MoSD) Ayman Mufleh and the Ambassador of the EU to Jordan Maria Hadjitheodosiou, Tuesday, inaugurated the renovated Jerash Centre for Care and Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities.

Mufleh said that empowering persons with disabilities, providing a safe environment and decent living and realising their best interests is the “ultimate” objective for workers in the social protection sector, noting that the completion of maintenance work in the Jerash centre bears witness of the support at both the national and international levels for the disability sector He emphasised the right of persons with disabilities to inclusion.

Mufleh thanked all stakeholders and partners, Ambassador Maria Hadjitheodosiou and the EU Delegation for their continued support in strengthening the social protection sector in Jordan.

He also thanked the implementers of the “EU Support to Social Protection Programme in Jordan”, Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas (NI-CO), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Expertise France (EF) who support the MoSD in realising an inclusive society in Jordan.

For her part, Hadjitheodosiou said: “As Europeans, we are proud of our European social model, which we constantly aspire to make more inclusive, cohesive and more accessible to serve those in need; so, I am happy that we are cooperating with the Jordanian government on this project.”

She added, “We believe that persons with disabilities, in particular, when given appropriate care and support, can make valuable contributions to their communities, and I am confident that this centre will be a suitable environment for its residents, men and women, to gain a stronger sense of dignity, confidence and self-empowerment.”

The inauguration of the Jerash Centre was attended by senior officials from the MoSD, EU, UNOPS, NI-CO and EF, as well as the Governor of Jerash, Muhammad Abu Rumman, representatives of civil society organisations and innovative youth.

Jerash Centre, the largest in Jordan, has a capacity of 200, and the centre’s facilities have been renovated to be safer and more accessible.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), in cooperation with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), on Tuesday launched a housing support project for 111 Syrian refugee families in Irbid Governorate.

JHCO said in a statement that beneficiary families were selected according to specific criteria, whereby a breadwinner or working family member, who is crippled with spinal cord disease or muscular dystrophy that renders him unable to secure an income for the family, is qualified for the aid.

The project will secure the housing cost and payment of water and electricity bills “in a manner to ensure a decent living for the beneficiaries,” according to JHCO.

“This is one of the accommodation projects carried out by the Hashemite Charity Organisation and its partners in humanitarian work for three years, that enables families to secure the costly health care,” said JHCO Secretary-General Hussein Shibli.

Director of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre branch in Jordan Saud Al-Hazeem said the “qualitative project is a continuation of the relief projects offered by the centre to the needy within a thorough plan in coordination with the concerned official entities.”

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

The Business Growth Activity (BGA), a USAID-funded project, on Tuesday announced that it had signed financial advisory agreements with three Jordanian companies from the logistics, technology and healthcare sectors.

In a statement, the agency said the three companies will receive direct firm-level assistance through a series of evidence-based interventions to support expansion strategies. This aligns with USAID BGA’s goals of helping SMEs and stat-ups mobilize capital and increase investment into Jordanian enterprises.

“These agreements focus on bringing in investors to help the targeted companies raise capital. The capital would expand operations and increase employment, sales, and exports thus help in creating a sustainable business growth environment in Jordan,” said Daniel Swift, Director of Economic Development and Energy Office, USAID Jordan.

USAID BGA has access to a global network of thousands of investment funds from which to search for suitable partners for Jordanian companies. USAID BGA will engage with startups and SMEs to articulate their growth stories and prepare documents needed for investor outreach and engagement. Investors will include local, regional and international equity and debt providers.

“The advisory agreement we signed includes a series of technical interventions by USAID BGA that will help my company prepare an investment memorandum with projected financials and valuations, identify potential investors, prepare for the due diligence process, and assist my company in negotiating an investment agreement. We believe this approach will favorably impact our business growth and increase our visibility,” said the CEO of one company.

The USAID BGA aims to support Jordan’s SMEs and start-ups improve their productivity and competitiveness, create jobs, foster innovation, promote economic growth and move Jordan towards a more prosperous, resilient, and inclusive future. USAID BGA will support SMEs with firm-level assistance, access to finance, and improve the country’s business environment through advocacy and public-private dialogue that complements USAID’s policy reform initiatives.

USAID BGA will systematically incorporate gender, youth and persons with disabilities in the project’s main goals, and core components. USAID BGA is a five-year project (2021-2026) and implemented by the prime contractor Financial Markets International and CrossBoundary as one of its subcontractors.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Right-wing Jewish activist Yehuda Glick on Tuesday led dozens of extremist settlers, who stormed Al Aqsa Mosque/ haram Al Sharif in occupied Jerusalem.

The Islamic Waqf (endowments) Department in Jerusalem said the incursion was staged under the heavy escort of Israeli police, and came at a time when the occupation authority imposed tight restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshippers to the compound, one of Islam’s holiest shrines.

It said Israeli police temporarily seized the IDs of Palestinians at the entrances to the complex in the walled Old City of Jerusalem, while the intruders, split into groups of 40, toured the plaza and performed prayers before exiting the site.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

A trade war with the European Union is unlikely, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday when asked about his government’s plans to tear up parts of the post-Brexit divorce deal.

Asked if the country could afford a trade war with the EU, he said: “I don’t think that is likely, but what we have to fix is the problems with the Northern Ireland political situation,” Reuters reported.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

The Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Jabal Amman Publishers, owner of the Kutubee Interactive Reading Platform, to switch literary works into accessible formats for some 4,000 students with disabilities.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by His Highness Prince Mired bin Raad, President of the HCD, and Sinan Sweis, the CEO of the Jabal Amman Publishers, making Kutubee the first inclusive interactive reading platform in the Arab world.

Under the memorandum, the council will provide technical support for the platform on the Android and iOS operating systems to enable people with disabilities to leverage its contents, which include books and short stories in three languages (Arabic, English and French), along with a video explaining how to use the platform. A statement by the council indicated that the council will also offer technical support to make 30 stories available in sign language on the platform.

Additionally, the agreement also stipulated that the platform’s staff will be trained on methods of effective communication with persons with disabilities and relevant laws, as well as holding an awareness workshop for writers on how to address disability issues within a rights approach.

Prince Mired stressed the importance of this agreement to advance education, which is a real challenge for children with disabilities. Such initiatives would support students with disabilities to leverage online electronic applications to fulfil their education needs.

For his part, Sweis lauded the HCD’s role, underlining that this partnership is a “perfect embodiment” of integrating people with disabilities into the educational process, especially interactive reading applications.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Three-day celebrations for the 76th Independence Day, which falls on May 25, will kick off next Wednesday, featuring patriotic musical performances and aerial displays in governorates across the Kingdom.

According to the schedule, this year’s activities and events will start at five p.m. in specific locations in each governorate with the aim of suitably marking this national event and spreading joy and happiness among citizens after the difficult circumstances they have experienced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The events include various national artistic performances such as musical pieces performed by the Jordan Armed Forces Music Band and aerial displays by the Royal Falcons team and Air Force aircraft, in addition to folkloric, theatrical and artistic performances, special entertainment for children and different age groups, and fireworks displays across the Kingdom.

To celebrate the occasion, a special logo was designed for the 76th Independence Day, which can be downloaded from the following link: https://bit.ly/3LbZfyw.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

The Industrial Producers’ Prices index inched up by 13.49 percent in the first quarter of the current year, amounting to 133.74 points against 117.85 points during the same period of 2021, the latest figures showed.

The producer’s prices index for March of 2022 went up by 13.69 percent, reaching 137.44 points compared to 120.9 during the same month of 2021, a report issued Tuesday by the Department of Statistics (DoS) indicated.

On a monthly level, the producer’s prices index for March of 2022 rose slightly by 2.76 percent, reaching 137.44 points against 133.76 in February of the same year.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY