Day: May 20, 2022

Ministries and public departments will observe a public holiday on Thursday, May 26 on the occasion of the 76th Independence Day, according to a circular issued by Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh.

On Wednesday public servants will end their work at 2:00pm to enable them to attend the events due to the occasion that will start at 5pm in designated areas across the Kingdom, the circular said.

The circular excludes ministries and public departments whose work nature necessitates otherwise.

Jordan gained its full independence from the British mandate and was declared a kingdom on May 25, 1946.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Troops in the Eastern Military Zone, in coordination with the security bodies and the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND), foiled infiltration and smuggling attempts into the Kingdom from Syria, according to an official military source in the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF).

The source said that the army personnel applied the rules of engagement that led to the retreat of smugglers into Syria.

Searching the area, army personnel found large quantities of drug pills that were referred to the concerned authorities.

The source stressed that the army will apply its full force to thwart any infiltration or smuggling attempts, preventing any one tries to tamper with Jordan’s national security.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Nayef Al-Fayez met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Jordan mission chief Ali Abbas and the accompanying delegation, currently visiting the Kingdom, in the presence of the ministry’s Secretary General Emad Hijazin and the minister’s adviser Hisham Al-Abbadi.

The ministry, in a statement on Friday, said that Al-Fayez reviewed the figures achieved by the tourism sector during the first third of 2022, which reached good levels according to the National Tourism Strategy for the years 2021-2025.

The fund’s mission discussed the steps and measures that the ministry takes in facing the risks surrounding the implementation of strategic plans including the emergence of competing tourist destinations and the weak level of political and security stability in the Middle East region and the world.

Commenting on measures taken to maintain employment levels in the tourism sector and the steps to organize them, Al-Fayez said that the programs launched by the government to support employment, such as “Estidama”, had a significant impact on preserving and regulating employment rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For his part, Abbas expressed his admiration of the capabilities of the Jordanian government in responding to the crisis caused by the pandemic and its impacts, praising the government’s ability to deal with the challenges that emerged during the pandemic.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi, on Thursday, conveyed a message from His Majesty King Abdullah to Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades that focused on promoting bilateral ties, as well as, discussing the latest developments in the Middle East region and exerted efforts to achieve stability and enhance regional cooperation.

The Cypriot President, during his meeting with Safadi in Nicosia, his greetings to His Majesty the King and congratulations on the occasion of Jordan’s 76th Independence Day.

The Cypriot president stressed the importance of bilateral ties with Jordan and the work continuity to strengthen them in various fields, praising the key role of Jordan and the efforts led by His Majesty the King to confront regional challenges and achieve security and stability.

During the meeting, prospects for increasing bilateral cooperation were figured high, in the context of the tripartite cooperation mechanism with Greece, and within the e framework of the European Union. The two sides also discussed a number of regional issues, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause.

Safadi had held extensive talks with his Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides, in which the two top diplomats reviewed the steps taken by the two countries to implement the outcomes of the summit that brought together His Majesty King Abdullah II and the Cypriot President on December 7, 2021 and to implement the outcomes of the summits held within the framework of the tripartite cooperation mechanism with Greece to develop economic cooperation investment and tourism.

The Palestinian cause, the Syrian crisis, Lebanon, supporting Iraq, fighting terrorism and the Ukrainian crisis and its repercussions, were discussed during the talks between the two diplomats.

In press remarks following the talks, Safadi thanked his Cypriot counterpart for the deep and sincere dialogue which stemmed from the solid base of cooperation that was established between the Kingdom and Cyprus over sixty years of diplomatic relations.

Safadi highlighted the anti-double taxation deal between the two countries, stressing that such pact reflects the desire to promote cooperation in various spheres.

Safadi strongly praised the Cypriot stance in supporting the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, in which Jordan is carrying out huge efforts to protect them based on the Hashemite Custodianship over the holy sites.

For his part, the Cypriot top diplomat said that the talks focused on the situation in Jerusalem, saying, “I would like to commend Jordan’s continuous efforts to prevent the situation from deteriorating. In this context, I would like to emphasize the full support of Cyprus to preserve the status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites under the Hashemite Custodianship,” noting the importance of respecting worshippers’ rights to practice their religious rituals.

Source: Jordan News Agency