Day: December 28, 2022

Aqaba, President of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Nayef Fayez, was briefed on Wednesday, on work progress in Aqaba’s customs “Square 4.”

Touring the site, Fayez lauded efforts of Jordan Customs Department (JCD) and all concerned authorities during the trucker strike crisis, which worked with “high” professionalism, harmony and shared responsibility that led to sustaining supply chains of grains, drugs and various goods from Aqaba to all the Kingdom’s governorates.

Stressing the need to develop performance through joint coordination among the concerned authorities, he said the current period requires speed in completing customs clearance period for various goods to serve interest of the national economy and raise competitiveness of Aqaba regionally and internationally.

Fayez listened to Square 4 customs officers on JCD’s role, procedures and facilitations during the trucker strike period, and the key customs-related challenges.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, Minister of Social Development, Wafaa Bani Mustafa, on Wednesday said charity associations play a “major” role in achieving Jordan’s national goals and sustainable development, and assume “great” burdens, which require continued support to provide the appropriate environment for charitable work.

Inaugurating an ad hoc workshop to raise awareness on risks of money laundering and terrorist financing for non-profit organizations, Bani Mustafa highlighted the event’s awareness-raising role, given the importance and seriousness of related threats and need to familiarize Jordan’s charitable association sector with dangers of exploiting it to carry out money laundering and terror financing crimes.

This workshop, she said, is the first following Jordan Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism National Risk Assessement, adding that a series of other awareness-raising events will be organized by the Ministry of Social Development in three regions.

Bani Mustafa referred to efforts to outline guidelines in this field to upgrade charity associations’ capabilities to avoid money laundering and terrorist financing crimes.

In this regard, she said instructions related to “Governance of Associations Sector” and “Mechanisms to Protect Organizations from Terror Financing Risks” are announced and published by the competent authorities.

The workshop went over global anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) recommendations, the governing legal framework and legislations, loopholes that increase non-profit entities’ exposure to abusive risks, and the best protection practices in this regard, according to a ministry statement.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, The eighth edition of Modest Fashion Week activities, which were recently held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, picked Jordanian fashion designer, Hama Yassin, to present her innovative designs at the event, which brought together more than 40 participants across the world.

According to a statement issued by the event on Wednesday, Yassin was selected as a representative of Jordan to take part in event, held under the theme :”Roots To The Future,” based on her previous “successful” participation in global fashion shows.

Yassin, who is a fashion designer and activist, seeks to support the designer community to establish and develop their brands at an online store.

Yassin also founded Khood Academy, aimed to providing children with fashion design skills in an interesting and interactive manner.

Launched in 2015, the week’s previous editions have been hosted in Dubai (in 2017, 2019 and 2021), London, Jakarta, Istanbul and Amsterdam.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, The Lower House Public Freedoms and Human Rights Committee on Wednesday discussed demands of a number of protesters demonstrating at Parliament’s yards, its head, MP Bassam Fayez, said.

Speaking at its meeting, Fayez noted the committee is scheduled to transfer the protesters’ demands to the government, aimed to issuing a general amnesty in cases, which saw the personal right dropped and revisiting administrative detention.

On its next steps, he said the committee is set to hold consultations with the government about these demands and push a general amnesty petition to alleviate citizens’ suffering, in light of their economic conditions.

The committee, he said, is in the process of activating a WhatsApp instant messaging application to receive complaints about Jordan’s freedoms and human rights, refer grievances to concerned authorities, and overcome the difficulties facing citizens.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, Chairman of the Lower House Palestine Committee, MP Fayez Basbous, on Wednesday said Jordan attaches “all care and attention” to Gaza Strip people.

He noted His Majesty King Abdullah II’s directives were “clear” in supporting Gazans, by taking multiple procedures aimed to granting them benefits and facilitations in various fields, which requires “all seriousness” in dealing with their demands.

Speaking at a committee meeting, attended by Minister of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs, Wajih Azaiza, and representatives of Gaza Strip residents, Basbous said Jordan views the coastal enclave “an integral part of its national priorities.”

In this regard, he referred to free field hospitals operating in the strip as a “true” reflection of the human dimensions of Jordan’s leadership over history towards Gazans.

In addition, he noted the committee will follow up on Gazans’ demands “diligently” to address their hardships with the concerned authorities.

Meanwhile, representatives of Gaza Strip community affirmed support for His Majesty King Abdullah II’s stance towards the costal enclave, appreciating all security departments’s efforts to maintain Jordan’s stability and security.

The strip’s community leaders also referred to Gazans’ support for His Majesty’s stances in support of the Palestinian cause and Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem’s Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

During the meeting, Gazans’ demands on education, health and work were presented, as the committee said a meeting will be held with the concerned ministers to overcome any obstacles in this regard.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, The Lower House Energy and Mineral Resources Committee approved a bill to revoke the law ratifying the oil shale concession agreement signed by Jordanian government, represented by the Natural Resources Authority (NRA) and Jordan Oil Shale Company B.V (JOSCO) for 2022.

This announcement came during a meeting held by the committee on Wednesday, chaired by MP Talal Ensour, and in the presence of Ministers of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, State for Legal Affairs, Nancy Namrouqa.

Ensour said Jordan’s current economic conditions require knowing all details related to the agreements inked by government with companies investing in the Kingdom’s energy sector.

For his part, Kharabsheh said the government did not incur any financial obligations as a result of revoking oil shale concession agreement, adding that Jordan Oil Shale Company B.V (JOSCO) “has spent about JD280 million, while it has drilled 250 wells.”

The company concluded that the project, which is pilot and is based on heating oil shale at depths of hundreds of meters to turn it into oil, is “useless,” he said.

The company also concluded that the sulfur and carbon content in Jordanian oil shale is “high,” and thus concluded that investment in the project is “infeasible,” he pointed out.

In light of the expiration of the notice period, the concession agreement is deemed terminated by law, given that B.V (JOSCO) ended oil shale concession agreement signed with the government, he noted.

Articles (4/8) and (2) of the agreement granted the company the power to terminate the concession agreement upon expiration of 12 months from end of evaluation period and prior to the first pilot phase, according to a notice sent by the company to the government for a 90-day period, he said.

From the beginning, talk was about a pilot project that did not impose financial obligations on the government, he noted, adding that Jordan benefited from the equipment donated by the company at the end of the project.

Stressing the energy ministry’s interest in Jordan’s mining sector, he noted since beginning of 2022, it signed 7 memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore for a number of minerals and is in the process of inking more agreements.

Source: Jordan News Agency