Month: February 2023

Amman: The Citi Foundation (the “Foundation”) announced Monday its first-ever Global Innovation Challenge to help scale the impact of nonprofits around the world that are developing innovative solutions to improve food security.

This inaugural challenge will provide a collective $25 million to 50 organizations to support the piloting or expansion of ideas and projects that are designed to address this issue and strengthen the physical and financial health of low-income families and communities.

“Far too many families around the world face the daily struggle of not knowing when and where their next meal will come from,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation and Head of Citi Community Investing and Development.

“We understand the economic factors that contribute to this ever-growing crisis, and our goal with this RFP is to help empower diverse, mission-driven nonprofits that are pioneering game-changing, scalable solutions in their communities.”

For this RFP, the Citi Foundation will prioritize projects in four areas: Access: Support efforts that increase access to affordable and healthy food to low-income communities. Affordability: Improve food affordability through community finance efforts that help reduce the financial burden placed on low-income communities. Availability: Address challenges in the food supply chain that lead to positive community benefits, such as the creation of new jobs and businesses. Resilience: Increase the number of available resources that enable low-income communities to more effectively prepare for and respond to disruptions in food security during crises.

The deadline to register is March 22, 2023, at 4 p.m. EDT. For more information on this opportunity including the eligibility requirements and target geographies, please visit: www.citifoundation.com/challenge

Source: Jordan News Agency

Doha: The University Expo Qatar concluded in Doha on Monday with the participation of Jordanian public and private universities.

Universities from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, Switzerland, Malaysia, Germany, Hungary, Turkey, France and the UAE, in addition to Qatar, participated in the event.

The Undersecretary of the Qatari Ministry of Education, Omar Al-Nema, said that the exhibition targeted students in the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades in order to prepare them for the future majors that universities provide.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: Director of the Public Security Directorate (PSD) Maj. Gen. Obaidallah Maaytah on Monday US Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, and her accompanying delegation.

The two sides discussed ways to bolster cooperation, contributing to the development of law enforcement agencies in the two friendly countries.

Maaytah lauded the deep-rooted ties between the two public security apparatus in the two countries, which are a reflection of the good relationship between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the United States.

He stressed keenness to enhance cooperation and joint coordination, and to open new horizons for this fruitful cooperation.

For her part, the US Under Secretary commended the PSD’s good reputation at the local and international levels.

She underlined the importance of communication and coordination between the security agencies in the two countries to serve the citizens, stressing her country’s keenness to continue cooperation and exchange of expertise between the security apparatus of the two countries.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday said Jordan is confidently forging ahead in modernisation and building active partisan life.

During a meeting with Independent Election Commission (IEC) Chief Commissioner Musa Maaytah at Al Husseiniya Palace, King Abdullah highlighted the role of young Jordanians as major drivers of modernisation.

His Majesty urged devising a clear strategy to dispel doubt and hesitation among young people and ensure their active engagement in political and partisan life.

The King called for enhancing cooperation with universities, and capitalising on the recently endorsed bylaw to organise partisan activism in higher education institutions.

Commending the IEC’s efforts to raise awareness of the importance of engaging in partisan and political life, His Majesty called for clarifying the direct correlation between active political participation and achieving economic and social development.

For his part, Chief Commissioner Maaytah said the IEC will intensify its awareness raising efforts to expand political engagement, especially among women, youth, and university students.

Maaytah highlighted the IEC’s role in building bridges of trust with the public to reaffirm the seriousness of the political modernisation plan.

Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan attended the meeting.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: The total value of foreign aid, including grants and soft loans committed to Jordan in 2022, amounted to about $4.4 billion, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation announced Monday.

According to the ministry’s foreign aid report, issued Monday, this aid was distributed as follows: Regular grants amounting to $1.66 billion, including grants to support the general state budget amounting to $1.12 billion, and the rest to implement development projects at the national level.

The volume of additional grants directed to support the Syrian crisis response plan amounted to about $760 million this year, constituting 33.4 per cent of the amount of funding required for the Jordan Response Plan to the Syrian crisis, the report said.

The volume of contracted soft loans amounted to about $2 billion, $1.47 billion of which to support the general state budget or sectoral support through the general budget, and the remaining amount is to implement development projects through the relevant sectoral ministries.

According to the report, the key economic sectors that leveraged grants and soft loans within foreign aid last year are: the general state budget support with a rate of 41.2 per cent, the water and sanitation sector with a rate of 14.4 per cent, then the food security and agriculture sector with a rate of 13.2 per cent, while the social protection sector accounted for 11.7 per cent, then the education sector accounted for 4.7 per cent, and employment, vocational training and livelihoods accounted for 3.1 per cent, and the remaining amounts were distributed among other sectors.

The Ministry of Planning said that this aid came as a result of His Majesty King Abdullah’s efforts with brotherly and friendly countries and entities, who support the reforms that Jordan is implementing at all levels.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, held its first “Innovation Day” in Jordan, under the theme of “Partnership of The Future”.

The two-day event had representatives from key Schneider Electric partners, official distributors and customers as well as leading local media in attendance.

During the “Innovation Day”, Schneider Electric showcased its latest technology solutions and advanced applications in digital transformation, building management and energy shedding light on their role to support achieving Jordan’s future vision.

The event included a host of activities tailor-made for partners and distributors, such as interactive product demos, breakout sessions, networking opportunities and more.

This aligns with Schneider Electric’s plans to expand its presence in the Jordanian market and develop its partner network in line with the technological leap Jordan is witnessing creating huge growth potential for Schneider Electric and its local partners.

Mohamed Samy, General Manager of the Levant Countries at Schneider Electric said, “At Schneider Electric, we seek to introduce the latest technology solutions to the Jordanian market in line with Jordan Digital Transformation Strategy identified in 2020 to transform Jordan into a leading tech state in the Arab region capitalizing on cutting-edge technologies in digital transformation, smart cities and buildings, energy solutions and facilities to name a few.”

“Schneider Electric has been operating in the Jordanian market for more than 20 years throughout which it has implemented various strategic projects in partnership with the government and the private sector amid a growing shift toward digital transformation as a top priority on the national agenda.”

Schneider Electric recently relocated its Levant headquarters to Jordan banking on the country’s great business potential and its keenness to implement the latest digital transformation solutions and their significant role to enhance the operational efficiency of cities, buildings, factories and production facilities as well as rationalizing energy consumption which is one of the high-cost resources in the country.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Ramallah: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh Monday held the Israeli government fully responsible for attacks carried out by Jewish settlers, who wreaked havoc in Hawara and other villages near Nablus north of the occupied West Bank.

He told a meeting of the Palestinian government that a committee comprising the ministers of local government and finance, as well as the governor of Nablus, will be formed to assess damage to homes and shops resulting from settler violence and arson attacks in order to compensate owners.

Shtayyeh also called for activating “Popular Protection Committees” in the midst of the “ugly crimes perpetrated by settlers with the guidance of ministers in the Israeli government.”

Commenting on the Knesset’s (Israeli parliament) passage of a law on the execution of Palestinians, Shtayyeh said “it did not surprise us as this government and other governments had carried out field executions of our children and youth”, referring to Israel’s killing of more than 60 Palestinians in the past two months.

He also cited Israel’s confiscation of 193 dunums of Palestinian land in Al-Auja and all other land grabs, which, he said, are part of an expansionist settlement scheme to double settlers’ numbers in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) has participated in the 11th edition of the Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (JTTX 11), where it held meetings with Gulf tourism agencies.

The Jordanian pavilion was visited by a number of Saudi influencers, who were introduced to Jordanian tourism destinations, and invited to visit during the spring, when tourists, especially from the Gulf, come to the Kingdom, the JTB said in a statement on Monday.

Representatives of the Specialty Hospital office and Royal Jordanian Airlines office in Jeddah attended the exhibition.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh spoke Monday of the water challenge Jordan faces, but referred to “a comfortable” rain season, particularly in the south, where dams, which were almost empty in the past three years, are now full.

“The present storage level in southern dams will enable us to respond to most of the water needs”, he told lawmakers during a Lower House oversight session, adding that the Ministry of water and Irrigation was also stepping up efforts by digging more wells and curbing excess consumption of water in Karak Governorate.

The government is also looking for any other sources of water in addition to the major Disi Water Conveyance Project, provided there is a financial feasibility and the capacity to meet the needs of the local community, added.

Denying a claim by a lawmaker about high levels of radioactivity in Disi waters, the premier said a station to treat the water and reduce radiation levels has been in place there since the water system, which carries water from the southern Disi basin to various parts of the Kingdom, was launched.

“We cannot supply Karak with untreated water,” he stressed.

The prime minister also dismissed a lawmaker’s remark that questioned national sovereignty regarding water supplies from outside sources.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Irbid: President of Yarmouk University (YU) Islam Massad and Irish Ambassador Marianne Bolger on Monday discussed scientific cooperation between YU and Irish educational institutions.

During the meeting, Massad underscored YU’s commitment to strengthening academic, scientific, and cultural ties with educational institutions worldwide by exchanging visits and conducting research and projects in various fields.

He noted prospects for preparing several joint academic programs with Irish universities and reactivating a master’s degree program in health management that YU provided in cooperation with the University of Dublin.

The envoy affirmed the embassy’s commitment to build cooperation between various Jordanian universities, including YU, and Irish educational and research institutions to carry out research in women empowerment and refugees issues and exchange visits by students and faculty members.

Source: Jordan News Agency