Day: February 21, 2023

A Jordanian ministerial delegation, currently in Algeria, met with a number of Algerian ministers on Monday to discuss areas for bilateral cooperation.

The two sides reached an agreement on a roadmap to advance economic, trade, and investment cooperation for the years 2023-2025, or until the meetings of the joint Jordanian-Algerian committee are held, in order to carry out the visions and directives of the two governments as well as the results of His Majesty King Abdullah II’s visit to Algeria in December.

The road map highlights key cooperation projects with the objective of expanding trade exchanges, inter-investment volume, and sectoral cooperation activities.

Additionally, it entails launching the Algerian-Jordanian Businessmen Council, ratifying trade and investment agreements, and convening meetings between economic experts and businesspeople from the two nations to discuss potential joint ventures.

The officials also decided to speed up ongoing cooperation projects and look into new opportunities in priority sectors like energy, mining, culture, industry, agriculture, transport, tourism, handicrafts, health, labor and employment, and social security.

Additionally, it was decided to hold meetings of the current sectoral committees before the end of this year as well as the ninth session of the Jordanian-Algerian Joint Committee in Amman in June this year. Additionally, sector-specific technical committees or collaborative work teams will be established to investigate and monitor bilateral cooperation in areas of shared interest.

Yousef Al Shamali, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply, and Minister of Labour, said in a statement on Tuesday that the Jordanian-Algerian talks reflect a shared desire to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields to serve common interests and build on the outcomes of the royal visit to Algeria.

He emphasized the importance of forming multiple partnerships in order to address the challenges of food security, supply chains, emergency situations, and global geopolitical factors.

“A direct flight line between Amman and Algeria will be launched as of March 9, with two flights per week by Royal Jordanian Airlines, followed by two flights by Air Algerie,” he added.

In the first 11 months of 2022, Jordanian exports to Algeria totaled $93.5 million, an increase of 8.1% from the corresponding period in 2021. In the meantime, the Kingdom’s imports from Algeria totaled $138.5 million, up 52.7% from the same period in 2021.

Source: Jordan News Agency

A slight drop in temperatures is forecast on Tuesday, bringing relatively cold weather in the highlands and plains, while it will be pleasant in the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Aqaba, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in its daily update.

Clouds will appear at low altitudes, with northwesterly moderate winds.

On Wednesday, similar weather conditions will persist despite a rise in mercy levels, with southeasterly to northwesterly light winds.

Thursday will see another drop in temperatures, yet the same weather will prevail across the Kingdom.

Today, temperatures in the capital Amman will range between a high of 16 degrees Celsius and a low of 3C at night, while the port city of Aqaba will see a fair 24C, sliding to 11C at night.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Jordanian Ambassador in Mexico City Adli Khaldi has met with Mexican Minister of Tourism Miguel Torruco Marquez, as part of a series of meetings with a number of senior Mexican officials, to discuss means of enhancing bilateral relations.

Talks during the meeting tackled enhancing tourism ties, developing cooperation mechanisms in areas of training and rehabilitation, and exchanging expertise in combating antiquities smuggling.

The envoy indicated that the two countries will work on implementing the memorandum of understanding signed in February 2014 in the field of tourism.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo left the Kingdom on Tuesday after an official several-day visit.

Seeing the president off were Minister of Youth Muhammad Nabulsi, Mayor of the Greater Amman Municipality Yousef Shawarbeh, Governor of Amman Yasser Adwan, and a number of officials.

During the visit, President Embalo met with His Majesty King Abdullah II and made a visit to the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The total area of buildings licensed in 2022 edged up by 3.6 percent to 9.058 million square meters (sqm) against 8.747 in 2021, according to official figures.

The Department of Statistics (DoS) said Tuesday that the number of new building licenses issued in 2022 declined by 3.5 percent to a total of 25,790 licenses, compared with 26,720 permits in 2021.

Similarly, the area of buildings licensed for residential purposes decreased by 1.5 percent to 7.567 million sqm against 7.685 million sqm in 2021, the figures showed.

As for buildings licensed for non-residential purposes, their area jumped to about 1.491 million sqm, up by a major 40.4 percent, compared to about 1.062 million sqm for 2021, according to the figures.

Buildings licensed for residential purposes accounted for 83.5 percent of the total area of certified buildings, leaving 16.5 percent for buildings used for non-residential purposes, according to the DoS.

In its geographic breakdown of the data, the department said that the Kingdom’s central region accounted for 66 percent of the total area of licensed buildings, followed by the northern and southern regions at 25.1 and 8.9 percent, respectively.

Source: Jordan News Agency

A Jordanian parliamentary delegation and Algeria’s Minister of Energy and Mines Mohammed Arkab Tuesday met in Algiers for talks on gas and oil.

MP Mejhim Sqour, who leads the delegation, said the “good” Jordan-Algeria ties are a model in the region, attributing the strong bilateral relations to the leaderships of both countries.

For his part, the Head of the Parliamentary Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, MP Talal Ensour, noted the “importance” of encouraging Algerian companies to explore oil and gas in Jordan and studying the possibility of cooperation in establishing joint projects in the energy sector.

Ensour explained that the two sides should exchange experiences about renewables, rationalise their use, prepare economic feasibility studies for joint projects and exchange available experiences and information in renewable energy technologies.

Energy Minister Arkab said his country is “serious” about studying the possibility of supplying Jordan with crude oil, liquefied gas, and liquefied petroleum gas and distributing and storing oil products in Jordan.

He noted that his ministry plans to implement joint projects between the two countries, leverage Jordanian renewable companies and integrate them into the electrical grid.

Arkab noted Algeria’s need for Jordanian expertise in energy, adding that Jordan enjoys a strategic location, enabling it to produce electricity and distribute it to neighbouring countries.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO), Salem al-Malik, said Tuesday that achieving quality education and digital justice is needed to ensure equal access to digitisation sciences.

Al-Malik told the seventh session of the International Parliamentary Forum for Social Justice, held in Morocco, “justice is the basis of stability and human progress and all societal success.

There is a need to work to eliminate differences in the educational process and sound, forward-looking planning for the future.”

He added that “ISESCO upholds the values of social justice,” noting its initiatives in this justice to restore a society of tolerance that characterised Islamic civilisation.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday said Parliament is a key partner in implementing modernization across all tracks, stressing that all institutions must work towards moving forward into Jordan’s future.

During a meeting held at Al Husseiniya Palace with members of the permanent offices of the Senate and the House of Representatives, King Abdullah urged maintaining cooperation between the two chambers and working in partnership with the government, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty thanked the two houses for acting responsibly within their legislative role and coordinating with the government in service of national interests.

The King stressed the important role of Parliament in reaching out to the public and communicating transparently with citizens, commending MPs for engaging with Arab and foreign parliaments to support Jordan’s diplomatic efforts.

His Majesty reaffirmed Jordan’s steadfast position on the Palestinian cause, highlighting the Kingdom’s recent diplomatic efforts to contain escalation in the Palestinian Territories and support the Palestinian Authority, while continuing efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under the Hashemite Custodianship.

The King also touched on Jordan’s role in building economic integration among Arab countries and coordinating positions in service of national and Arab interests, reiterating the need to include the Palestinians in regional economic projects.

His Majesty noted the need to maintain humanitarian and relief support for the Syrian people to mitigate the impact of the recent earthquake, pointing also to the ongoing medical and humanitarian support dispatched to Turkey.

Speaking at the meeting, Senate President Faisal Fayez said combating poverty and unemployment is a priority for all institutions, stressing the need to follow His Majesty’s example in reaching out to the public in the field.

He added that the Senate will also reach out to governorate and municipal councils to enhance coordination and support decentralisation.

The Senate president expressed appreciation for His Majesty’s efforts in bolstering Jordan’s Arab and international standing while safeguarding national interests, stressing the centrality of the Palestinian cause for the Kingdom and the need to counter unilateral Israeli measures.

For his part, House Speaker Ahmad Safadi expressed the chamber’s keenness to increase public outreach to listen to citizens’ concerns and highlight the House’s role, while also engaging with governorate and municipal councils and civil society organizations.

He touched on the House of Representatives’ efforts to amend its internal rules and procedures, as well as its code of conduct, in line with political modernization requirements and to bolster public trust in the chamber, noting that these amendments will be discussed soon.

Speaker Safadi also underscored the House’s diplomatic efforts through exchanging visits with Arab and foreign parliaments to support Jordan’s diplomatic role and outreach.

Also speaking at the meeting, members of the two houses’ permanent offices highlighted a number of domestic and regional issues, commending His Majesty’s diplomatic efforts and noting the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship over holy sites in Jerusalem.

They said cooperation with the government is underway as set out by the Constitution, expressing support for the modernization tracks and their keenness to follow up on implementation.

The lawmakers pointed to the importance of administrative reforms and building the capacities of employees in senior political and administrative positions, urging the modernization of education by developing curricula and teaching methods, as well as promoting vocational education.

The MPs also called for investment promotion in line with the new investment law, stressing the importance of countering false news and cyber bullying through social media, in accordance with the law.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi and Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan attended the meeting.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Jordan has designed its investment attraction strategies with a variety of legislative and administrative tools to create a modern and advanced business environment capable of regional competition and luring and stimulating investments.

The national economy, which is resilient in the face of many challenges imposed by exceptional local, regional, and international circumstances, needs a surge of high-quality domestic and foreign investments to help the country tackle unemployment and poverty head-on through public-private partnerships.

Investment opportunities with high potential returns can be found across a wide range of sectors in the Kingdom, including the IT and telecom industries, logistics services, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and public-private partnerships.

A total of JD 41 billion in investments and funding must be attracted if the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV) is to succeed in creating one million job opportunities for Jordanians over the next ten years. The private sector, foreign direct investments, or public-private partnerships are anticipated to produce the majority of these jobs.

The Investment Environment Law, which provides investors with incentives and exemptions subject to certain conditions, is the country’s crowning achievement in bolstering the comprehensive reform process.

The law mandates the use of technology to streamline administrative and procedural hurdles, boost funding for new businesses, and level the playing field for SMEs.

This week saw the rollout of the first set of electronic investment services from the Ministry of Investment, all of which are tied to the licensing of economic activities and are required by the Investment Environment Law for 2022.

The new e-services, according to the ministry, are a component of a service automation project that aims to streamline and automate procedures for investors.

A statement from the ministry said that the new e-services included applications for registration, licensing, incentives, and exemptions as well as the issuance of investor cards, visas, and citizenship certificates.

To realize the vision’s 10-year plan, the government will launch major projects with a combined budget of JD10.470 billion and initiatives aimed at boosting the investment sector, as outlined in the EMV’s executive program.

Khair Abu Sa’ilek, the chairman of the Jordan Economic Forum, believes that the investment ministry’s restructuring was driven by a desire to increase investments in the Kingdom as a result of the extensive legal authority it had attained as an independent ministerial entity prior to becoming a government body.

He explained to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that Article (7) of the Investment Environment Law mandated that the Investment Ministry create a map outlining opportunities in various sectors and governorates in order to stimulate investment.

According to MP Abu Sa’ilek, the law was approved to group investment references under a single heading, reduce interventions, streamline processes, and approve electronic services.

All authorities need to commit to working closely with the ministry, and the ministry needs to hire qualified staff, he said.

Iyad Abu Haltam, the president of the East Amman Industrial Investors Association, stated that in order to attract new investments to the Kingdom both domestic and foreign computerized systems and a digital transformation are necessary. These advancements will enable licenses to be granted quickly and wisely, as well as quickly for plans, budgets, and approvals, he noted.

He emphasized the importance of using economic diplomacy, the Internet, and constant communication with business owners and investors from outside the Kingdom through exhibitions, diplomatic missions, international economic forums, and conferences in order to promote investment opportunities available in the Kingdom.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal inaugurated on Tuesday, at the Sheikh Hussein Development Center, which is affiliated with the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), in the Northern Jordan Valley, a fish farming and aquaculture project.

The project, implemented by the United Nations Development Program in Jordan, and funded by the Canadian government, aims to provide employment and business opportunities for 60 local women by constructing three greenhouses for hydroponic farming and three ponds for fish farming.

Investing in human capacities and energies, particularly among young men and women, is essential to achieving comprehensive and sustainable human and economic development, economic empowerment of women, and increased participation in opportunities and the labor market, Princess Basma said.

She emphasized the importance of the project’s eco-friendliness and sustainability, and she lauded the efforts of the women in charge for their ability to oversee the project and turn it into a success story as a result of their education and experience.

Princess Basma praised the UNDP for its part in funding the project through its active partnership with JOHUD, whose mission is to advance the economic status of women through the launch of innovative, revenue-generating projects and initiatives that boost women’s social roles and employment prospects.

Her Highness stressed the need to change agricultural patterns and individual behavior to ensure food security in the face of increasing environmental risks from climate change and natural disasters. She mentioned the work of the Jordan Valley Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in this regard.

According to Randa Abu Al-Hassan, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Jordan, this project helps rural women in the country’s northern region gain social and economic independence by closing income gaps and bolstering their participation in household and community decision-making.

She advocated for investing in women’s abilities as workers, pioneers, and changemakers in society, as well as removing all barriers that prevent their active participation in society and the labor market.

Princess Basma listened as women who benefited from the project explained what they had learned about recycling and fish farming, the circular economy, environmentally friendly projects, and the development of crops with low costs.

The women explained that the project involves recycling the protein-rich water from the fish ponds to grow crops and foods that are in high demand in the local market.

Her Highness also met with those who benefited from the (SHE’S GREAT) project, which was supported by IREX and aims to empower students, improve their communication skills, develop volunteerism, and challenge some stereotypes. She viewed a theater production put on by the youths that addressed the problem of bullying in schools.

In addition, Her Highness joined an e-commerce training session being offered by JOHUD as part of the Digital Women’s Centers, in partnership with Orange Jordan and with funding from the European Union. She listened to the trainees as they discussed how the project had helped them begin selling their home goods online.

Source: Jordan News Agency