Day: January 22, 2023

Embassies of France and Germany in Jordan on Sunday handed over the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law to Jordanian advocate Hadeel Abdel Aziz.

The ceremony was held on the 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, signed in 1963 by the French President Charles de Gaulle and the German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer as a friendship treaty.

The Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law rewards human rights defenders worldwide, who work every day, often in dangerous circumstances, to protect and strengthen human rights.

This year, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Germany and France have awarded one of the prizes to Ms. Hadeel Abdel Aziz, whose work as the Executive Director of the Justice Center for Legal Aid (JCLA) has been critical to grant access to justice to the most vulnerable in Jordan.

During the ceremony, the German Ambassador Bernhard Kampmann said: “We were particularly impressed by Ms. Abdel Aziz’ lifelong dedication to the rule of law and in particular her work to promote and protect the human rights of women and girls. With the work of the JCLA, she has, from within the Jordanian legal system, not only advocated for an institutionalised state-funded legal aid system, but has also been instrumental in growing the JCLA from a small organisation to a sustainable national model of justice organisation.”

The French Chargée d’Affaires Janaina Herrera added: “Support to the promotion and protection of human rights and to the rule of law is both a priority for France and Germany and a pillar of the EU-Jordan partnership. The prize underlines this joint commitment.”

Upon receiving the award, Hadeel Abdel Aziz said: “It’s not about one big act of heroism, but the one hundred small battles. This recognition shows us that our work is seen and helps us continue.”

Source: Jordan News Agency

The National Center for Research and Development (NCRD) singed 3 agreements with representatives of PPI4MED ,and EMPHASIS, U-SOLVE, MYSEA projects, funded under the ENI CBC Med Programme, signed three collaboration agreements in Jordan.

During the signing meeting, the two parties highlighted the common goals, priorities, and the challenges in the Mediterranean region.

Maha Al-Aqra, the NCRD representative and PPI4MED project: “technological transfer and commercialization of public research results through PPI in the Mediterranean region”, highlighted the aim of the project to create and demonstrate a model to transfer results from National Research Centers (NRCs) to public buyers, industry, SMEs and people.

The results are transferred through the co-design of solutions in 5 national and 1 cross-border living labs in 5 countries and the implementation of 12 real PPI processes to raise awareness of policymakers to include Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) as a strategic instrument to transfer results as part of the science policy in each concerned country.

Fahmi Abu Al-Rub, the representative of the Jordan University for Science and Technology (JUST) and EMPHASIS, U-SOLVE, MYSEA projects in Jordan, explained the objectives of the three projects:

EMPHASIS, Euro-Mediterranean Network Facilitating Market Uptake of Innovations from SMEs, is set on co-creating a Mediterranean Open Innovation (OI) ecosystem, in which knowledge flows across borders is translated into marketable innovations. The project will co-design, deploy and validate a Mediterranean OI service platform, aiming at better linking the fragmented innovation systems of the region by facilitating meaningful cross-border knowledge flows, empower SMEs with the skill-sets required to tap into external knowledge base and turn it into value and identify fields that can turn sustainability challenges into business opportunities.

U-SOLVE, Urban sustainable development SOLutions Valuing Entreprenership, intends to enhance support to young entrepreneurs in urban areas with focus on the environment and sustainable development. The project will create experimental pathways for place-based strategies, suitable for the Mediterranean countries, where the entrepreneurial energy is oriented towards sustainable and integrated territorial development.

MYSEA, Mediterranean Youth, NEETs, and women advancing Skills, Employment, and Awareness in the blue and green economy, aims to: identify existing and emerging skills and professional needs through oriented training, coaching, and mentoring; and to involve Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and enterprises encouraging sector-skills alliances through apprenticeship, traineeship, and on-the-job training. The project will result in opportunities for young women and NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training) to apply the soft and hard skills learned during the training period and offer a platform to exchange experiences and implement national employment schemes in favor of youth employment.

The parties signing the collaboration agreements intend to establish a strong liaison between them, utilizing the results of the living labs, explore opportunities and exchange valuable information for strengthening innovation in Jordan and the Mediterranean region.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) on Sunday strongly condemned as “barbaric behaviour” the act burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by an extremist in Sweden’s Stockholm.

This act demonstrates civilizational defeat, contradicts with the spirit of tolerance and shows disbelief in cultural and doctrinal diversity, which leads to provoking feelings of hatred and reviving hate speech, ISESCO said Sunday in a statement.

The statement stressed that underestimating the values and principles that govern the lives of nations and peoples is the most dangerous weapon of destruction that disrupts the structure of security and development in the international community.

The statement noted that the repetition of such a pattern of transgressions will not undermine the value of the Holy Quran, in which the number of believers in it is increasing day by day in the east and west of the earth.

The statement underlined that ISESCO will not hesitate to move forward with the world peace-loving forces in spreading enlightenment and consolidating the foundations of moderation, in order to prevent the spread and expansion of these reckless tendencies.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Jordan Customs Department (JCD) denied news circulated by some news websites on increasing customs duties on goods brought in by travelers by 5 per cent.

Fees related to goods brought in by travelers will remain unchanged without any increase, JCD spokesperson Fadi Qudah said Sunday in a statement.

Qudah stressed the department’s keenness to take all measures that would help ease burdens on citizens, urging citizens to receive information from its official sources.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Grand Mufti of Jordan, Sheikh Abdul Karim Khasawneh, announced that the Rajab 1444 AH, the seventh month of the Islamic calendar, will start on Monday, corresponding to January 23, 2023.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Cabinet on Sunday approved mandating reasons for a draft bill amending the scientific research system for developing the educational process for 2023 to be brought before the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to complete the procedures to issue it according to the rules.

The bill aims at promoting scientific research to develop the educational process, which falls within mandates of the Educational Planning and Research Department associated with the Secretary General for Administrative and Financial Affairs in the Ministry of Education.

According to the draft bill, the name of this department will be changed in the Administrative Regulation of the Ministry of Education No. (46) of 2001 and its amendments, in order to ensure its performance of the tasks entrusted to it.

The Cabinet also decided to extend previous Cabinet decisions that included granting exemptions to the Jordan Electric Power Company (JEPCO) from general sales tax, customs duties, and import duties for one year, provided that this decision will be considered annually during the period of the license granted to the above-mentioned company.

On the other hand, the government approved a number of cooperation and development agreements to be signed in water, energy and women’s empowerment fields, and delegated competent ministers to sign them.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said that Jordan will continue working and coordinating with international partners in mobilizing efforts to ensure that the international community continues to provide the necessary financial support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

In a phone call Safadi received Sunday from the UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, Safadi welcomed the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to extend the UNRWA’s mandate in December, underlining the centrality of its role in providing vital services to 5.7 million Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operations and in accordance with its UN mandate, and its role in efforts to consolidate regional security and stability.

He also said that the UN agency needs to continue its operations until the Palestinian refugee issue is resolved in accordance with relevant international references and resolutions, including Resolution No. 194 and within a just and comprehensive solution based on the two-state solution, which embodies the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with occupied Jerusalem as its capital on the pre-June 4, 1967.

Safadi caled for diversifying UNRWA’s funding sources and ensure its sustainability, within the framework of burden-sharing, urging donors to make multi-year pledges and adhere to them.

For his part, Lazzarini expressed appreciation for Jordan’s efforts to mobilize international support for the UNRWA.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Minister of Investment, Kholoud Saqqaf, on Sunday discussed with Qatari Ambassador to Jordan, Sheikh Saud bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, ways to support and enhance bilateral relations , especially in the investment fields.

Saqqaf affirmed the “deep-rooted, brotherly” Jordanian-Qatari relations , thanks to the attention paid by His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Saqqaf also noted Qatari investments in Jordan served common benefits, contributed to the national economy and were “positive” for the Qatari investor.

The minister reviewed Jordan’s key economic reforms that led to important developments in the economic fields, primarily establishment of Ministry of Investment tasked to assume investment file and become the main reference in this regard.

In addition, Saqqaf touched on the key priviliges of Jordan’s new investment environment law and the Kingdom’s most important investment opportunities, which offer “high” competitiveness for investors.

For his part, the Qatari envoy lauded Qatari-Jordanian relations, which are ” growing daily and witnessing wide and multifaceted developments” in various fields.

The diplomat also pointed to Qatar’s interest to promote investment fields between the two countries and keenness to expand its volume, which constitutes a “vital” lever for the two countries’ economies and strengthens bilateral relations.

He noted volume of Qatari investments in Jordan is estimated at $2 billion in various sectors, including energy, real estate, stock market, banking, tourism services, and other sectors.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) closed Sunday’s trading session up by 0.20 per cent at 2,661 points.

A total of 3.7 million shares were traded through 2,544 transactions at a trading value of JOD5.5 million.

The closing prices of 38 company shares traded at the market recorded gains, while 26 others declined. The prices of 33 firm shares remained stable.

Source: Jordan News Agency