Day: December 4, 2022

Categories
Government Policy

Official says gov’t to borrow JOD2.3bln in 2023

Amman, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance Abdul Hakim Shibli Sunday said the funding budget would contain an additional JOD2.3 billion distributed over the budget deficit of JOD1.9 billion and financing the Water Authority deficit of JOD350 million.

Shibli told the Jordan News Agency that the volume of domestic debt in bonds amounted to JOD6.7 billion, of which JOD4.4 billion would be “extinguished” next year, noting the government’s intention to borrow JOD2.3 billion, of which JOD900 million would be borrowed from abroad.

Regarding the final accounts for 2022, Shibli said they would be submitted to the government within the timeframe set by the constitution.

In terms of the government’s debt for the Social Security Corporation, he noted that it amounted to JOD7.7 billion and is being paid according to the agreed timeframe.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Affairs

Irbid’s exports at $99.7 million last November- ICI

Irbid, The total value of Irbid’s exports last November amounted to $99.7 million, compared to $101 million for the same month last year, marking a drop of 1.6%.

In a statement on Sunday, Head of Irbid Chamber of Industry (ICI), Hani Abu Hassan, said exports volume dropped at a “slight” rate during months of November and December annually.

This drop is “a normal” matter, as the importing countries are busy with Christmas holidays and import demand is “relatively low,” he noted.

Al-Hassan Industrial Estate (HIE) accounted for the largest stake of the governorate’s exports, with $94.9mln volume, followed by HIE’s Cyber City at $3.1 million, while the remaining exports went to the government’s different regions.

The knitting and leather sector accounted for largest stake of the governorate’s exports with a volume exceeding $89 million, followed by food supplies at $3.6 million, then the medical industries and medical supplies sector at $2.8 million.

Meanwhile, other exports went to mining, electrical and rubber industries , chemical, cosmetic products, construction materials, packaging, and furniture.

The US was the biggest importer, with revenues exceeding $64 million, followed by European countries which imported commodities worth $10 million and Arab nations’ imports were at $8.5 million, while the remaining exports went to Canada, Southeast Asian countries and other countries across the world.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Government Policy

King visits Martyrs’ Memorial, tours National Museum of Moudjahid in Algiers

Algiers, His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday, as part of his state visit to Algeria, visited the Martyrs’ Memorial and the National Museum of Moudjahid located at a hilltop in El Hamma overlooking the Bay of Algiers.

According to a Royal Hashemite Court (RHC) statement, King Abdullah laid a wreath at the memorial and recited verses from the holy Quran in memory of Algerian martyrs.

During the visit to the National Museum of Moudjahid, His Majesty toured a photo exhibition, held to mark the King’s state visit, and was briefed on exhibits documenting Jordan’s support for the Algerian revolution.

Touring El Hamma, His Majesty was briefed by Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra the King’s escort of honour on the old city, the port, and the surrounding areas.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Affairs

Jordan, India explore economic cooperation

Amman, Minister of Investment Kholoud Saqqaf on Sunday received Indian ambassador in Amman Anwar Haleem for a discussion on ways to cement trade ties between the two countries.

The minister briefed the envoy on the investment climate in the Kingdom and potential opportunities in various sectors. She emphasized business-friendly legislation and simplified government service delivery.

Saqqaf said investment opportunities are ample in ICT, logistics, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare. She added that her ministry stands ready to offer all needed assistance and services to current and prospective investors.

The Indian ambassador praised the ministry for its efforts to promote the Kingdom’s investment opportunities and appeal.

Indian investments in Jordan amount to $1.3 billion, mainly in the fertilizers and textile industries.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Affairs

3rd phase of gov’t assistance program to industrial sector launched

Amman, The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Jordan Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF) and Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) on Sunday launched the third phase of the ministry-provided support program to Jordan’s industrial sector aimed to reduce production costs and increase the sector’s competitiveness at a total cost of JD4 million.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources / JREEEF Chairman, Saleh Kharabsheh, signed agreements with the 10 eligible factories out of the 22 that applied to benefit from the program’s funding.

This initiative comes within the framework of the energy sector’s strategic objectives aiming to reducing energy consumption and improving its efficiency.

In a press statement, the minister stressed the importance of the agreements in providing specialized, long-term and renewable industrial funding, describing Jordan’s industrial sector as the “largest” employer and supporter of the national economy.

For this reason, he said the ministry developed, through JREEEF, this integrated financing program to serve Jordan’s industrial sector.

In addition, he pointed to the program’s importance in reducing production costs and facilitating the industrial sector’s access to the necessary financial facilities for development, especially in the absence of mechanisms and plans to stimulate banks to lend factories and reduce interest rate margin.

The program, he said, would achieve the strategic goals of Jordan’s energy sector in reducing energy consumption and improving its efficiency, especially since the industrial sector consumes energy at about 17% of the total consumption of all sectors.

The program is implemented in cooperation with the ministry’s partners of Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ), commercial banks, Jordan Loan Guarantee Corporation (JLGC) and Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI).

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Government Policy

King, President Tebboune hold talks in Algeria

Algiers, His Majesty King Abdullah and Algeria President Abdelmadjid Tebboune held talks on Sunday covering the deep-rooted bilateral ties between Jordan and Algeria and the latest regional and international developments.

According to a Royal Hashemite Court (RHC) statement, King Abdullah and President Tebboune affirmed the strong ties between the two countries and peoples in a bilateral meeting followed by expanded talks.

The leaders stressed the importance of bolstering cooperation between Jordan and Algeria, especially in the political, economic, trade, investment, and defence fields.

The meetings, attended by senior officials on both sides, also covered keenness to maintain coordination and consultation on issues of mutual concern in service of shared interests and Arab causes.

His Majesty emphasised Jordan’s support for Algeria in its efforts to make the outcomes of the recent Arab Summit a success, commending Algeria and President Tebboune’s crucial role in promoting joint Arab action.

Recent regional and international developments were also discussed, with the King reaffirming the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the need to support the Palestinians in seeking their just and legitimate rights.

His Majesty underscored the need to reach just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The King also reaffirmed the importance of preserving the historical and legal status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif.

Discussions touched on means of finding political solutions to regional crises to restore security and stability to the peoples of the region.

Following the talks, His Majesty and the Algerian president witnessed the signing of an agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports, a cooperation programme between Petra News Agency and the Algerian Press Service, and three memorandums of understanding on political consultations, cooperation between the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy and the Algeria Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations, and the mutual recognition of maritime qualification certificates for seafarers, education programmes, and level of maritime training between the two countries.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
General

Israeli settlers plow 150 dunums of Palestinian land, an apparent prelude to taking over land

JORDAN VALLEY, Israeli settlers today plowed vast areas of land belonging to Palestinian residents in the northern Jordan Valley area, according to local activist Aref Daraghmeh.

The activist told WAFA a group of settlers plowed around 150 dunums of land owned by Palestinian residents of Tubas in preparation for planting it in what appears to be an apparent prelude to taking over the land.

The establishment of settlements on the West Bank violates international humanitarian law, which establishes the principles applied during war and occupation. Moreover, the settlements lead to the infringement of international human rights law, said the Israeli information center for human rights in occupied territories, B’Tselem.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency

Categories
General

Israel shuts down major checkpoint in northern West Bank

JENIN, Israeli occupation forces today shut down Al-Jalama checkpoint to the north of Jenin, north of the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian security sources.

They told WAFA that the Israeli occupation authorities decided to shut down the checkpoint to the Palestinian nationals of Israel and the Palestinian workers from the West Bank who use the checkpoint in their daily journey to their workplaces in Israel.

The shutdown remain in place until further notice, the sources said.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency

Categories
General

Israeli court issues light sentences on Israeli border guards convicted of torturing Palestinian workers

TEL AVIV, The Israeli Beersheba district court in southern Israel issued light sentences on members of the Israeli border guards who were convicted of robbing and torturing Palestinian workers in circumstances where the workers did not pose any threat to the guards.

The light sentences, which are incommensurate with the gravity of the offense, were issued after striking a deal with the Department of Internal Police Investigations (Machash) and the accused. The court previously proposed imposing a sentence of eight years on the border guards, however, after the deal, a very reduced sentence was imposed on each one of them.

A few years ago, Israeli border guards came across Palestinian workers in a forest in southern Israel and severally attacked them while documenting the attack with their phones.

Testimony from the workers who had testified before the Israeli court revealed that the border guards forced the workers to lie on the ground and harshly beat them up even though they did not face any danger or threat to their lives.

One of the border guards reportedly videotaped himself beating one of the workers with a stick and singing, while workers appeared in the video flat on the ground with their faces bleeding.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency

Categories
General

France urges an end to violence against Palestinians in West Bank

JERUSALEM, France called today for an end of the rampant acts of violence against the Palestinians in the West Bank, and for the competent authorities to hold those responsible for such acts accountable.

The French Consulate General in Jerusalem called in a press statement on all actors to refrain from any provocative or unilateral actions.

France affirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law in all of the Israeli-occupied territories.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency