Category: General

Jordan has called for effective and systematic action to help the Afghan people, saying that Afghanistan is now at the crossroads of either collapse and chaos or recovery.

In a speech at an extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi urged the pan-Muslim organization to put in place an effective and urgent humanitarian aid mechanism to help the Afghan people.

The meeting was called for by Saudi Arabia and was held Sunday in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

In his speech, which was on behalf of the Arab member states of the OIC, Safadi affirmed that Jordan, which has continued to provide whatever support it can to Afghanistan, including humanitarian aid through the Hashemite Charitable Organization, will continue to stand by the brotherly Afghan people.

Safadi said: “The chaos that Afghanistan experienced in the past brought upon the brotherly Afghan people terrorism and horrors, which innocents paid the price for elsewhere in our Arab and Islamic worlds, and in many other places.”

“Today, Afghanistan stands at a major crossroads, either retreating towards collapse and chaos that will plunge the Afghan people into conflict, injustice and scourge, and allow the reproduction of terrorist gangs that threaten the whole world, or recovery through a path of reconstruction that respects all the rights of the Afghan people to a decent life, and is in harmony with our Islamic and human values,” the minister emphasized.

Safadi stressed that the Arab and Islamic worlds should work collectively to protect the Afghan people, half of whose population suffers from poverty, saying: “We must take the initiative and participate actively in protecting our brothers and our interconnected world from the ignorance of extremism, and the crimes, killing and delusion it generates.”

The minister said that “there is a reality in Afghanistan that cannot be ignored”, adding, “We see no alternative but to engage with it [Afghanistan] in a dialogue based on clear humanitarian and legal goals and foundations, and in coordination with our partners, to help Afghanistan return to being an effective member of our international community.”

“We will be most affected by the outcome of the situation in Afghanistan, and therefore we should take a leading role in helping it,” Safadi asserted, calling for the formation of an Arab-Islamic contact group, which would define, in coordination with partners in the international community, the foundations on which the effort to protect Afghanistan will be based.

In his opening speech and in the sessions that followed, Safadi stressed the need for the meeting to pass two resolutions on Palestine and Jerusalem, saying that “the Palestinian cause was and will remain our first central issue.”

He added: “There will be no security, no stability, and no comprehensive and lasting peace if the Palestinian issue is not resolved on the basis that guarantees all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is their right to a free, independent and sovereign state with occupied Jerusalem as its capital, on the June 4, 1967 lines and according to the two-state solution, to live in security and peace alongside Israel.”

On the sidelines of the meeting, Safadi met with the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Palestine, Turkey, Iran, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Safadi also met with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths to discuss the prospects for further aid for Syrian refugees and the challenges of declining international support for refugees and host countries alike.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Speakers of Jordan’s Lower House, Abdel Karim Doghmi, and Arab Parliament (AP), Adel al-Asoomi, said the AP meetings at the Jordanian Parliament come in support of the Kingdom and its positions under His Majesty King Abdullah II’s leadership towards Arab issues, especially the Palestinian cause.

During talks on Sunday, Doghmi and al-Asoomi stressed the importance of coordinating and unifying Arab parliamentary efforts in support of the Palestinian cause and the Jerusalemites’ steadfastness in defending Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian sanctities, under the Hashemite custodianship.

They also hoped success of the AP’s work in Amman, which was chosen to be the first Arab capital to hold the AP meetings, following AP presidency’s directives to hold discussions in various Arab countries.

In press remarks following the talks, Doghmi said Jordan, under His Majesty King Abdullah II’s leadership, welcomes the Arab parliamentarians who came to Amman in support of Jordan’s positions, which has always defended the justice of Arab and Islamic nations’ issues, on top is the Palestinian cause.

Jordan always believes and calls for the solidarity of the Arab countries and supports their many common stances, Doghmi said.

For his part, al-Asoomi said the AP “highly” appreciate His Majesty King Abdullah II’s efforts in defending the Arab nation’s issues, especially the Palestinian cause, adding that AP is aware of the burdens borne by Jordan, the latest of which is the refugee waves from Syria.

The Arab Parliament, an independent institution, holds its discussions in Amman to support Jordan’s stances and its “remarkable” efforts to back Arab solidarity and seek regional stability, al-Asoomi added.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh will be placed under home quarantine, according to the health protocol, after one of his sons contracted the coronavirus, according to a Health Ministry statement.

The home isolation procedure will apply to the prime minister, and that he will have a PCR test after five days, after which, if negative, he will return to work, Prime Ministry Advisor for Health Affairs and Covid-19, Adel Belbeisi, told Petra in an interview Saturday.

The health protocol applies to all as part of efforts to counter the spread of the coronavirus and protect society, Belbeisi pointed out.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Jordan Free and Development Zones Group (JFDZG) will offer technical and logistical support to the Jordan Europe Business Association (JEBA) to promote and market investment opportunities of the Group, according to an agreement signed on Saturday.

JFDZG Chairman Khalaf Hmeisat, who signed the memorandum with JEBA President Jamal Badran, called on the JEBA management to be acquainted with the investment opportunities and privileges offered by the free zones, including Ajloun and Dead Sea development zones.

The JFDZG is keen to provide services and facilities to local, Arab and foreign investors, HE SAID, calling on businessmen in the commercial, industrial, tourism and service sectors to identify the challenges and barriers facing their businesses “so that they can be followed up and worked out.”

Also during the signing ceremony, JFDZG Director-General Abdul Hamid Gharaibeh gave a briefing on the development zones and the advantages they offer to investors to boost the national economy through partnership with the private sector in the industrial, commercial, service and tourism fields.

The Group, he added, constantly seeks to develop and provide an investor-friendly and competitive environment, particularly in the free zone at the Queen Alia International Airport, where industrial and commercial units and a fully-equipped business centre will be set up to meet the various needs of investors.

Development Zones Director Arwa Hiyari noted that the Dead Sea and Ajloun zones, including projects such as the Dead Sea Corniche and the Ajloun cable car project, will be new tourist destinations with real investment opportunities that will be an added value to the Jordanian economy.

For his part, Badran commended the group’s efforts to promote the investment environment in the free zones and its ongoing efforts to boost cooperation between the public and private sectors, adding that JEBA will soon start field visits for its members and affiliates to take a first-hand look at the investment opportunities in the Free and development zones.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The weather will be cold and partly cloudy on Saturday, with a chance in the morning hours for light and scattered showers of rain in the Kingdom’s northern and limited parts of the central regions, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in a daily forecast.

On Sunday, the weather will be cold almost countrywide and fair in the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Aqaba, the JMD added.

As for Monday, the Kingdom will be affected by a very cold air mass associated with an air depression centered on the island of Cyprus, and a drop in temperatures is forecast, and the weather will be very cold and dusty in several regions of the Kingdom, especially in the Kingdom’s southern and eastern areas with wind speed exceeding 60 km/h in some areas.

During the noon hours, rain falls in the Kingdom’s northern and central areas and parts of the southwestern regions. There is a slight chance for a short period of light showers of snow mixed with rain over the high mountain peaks, the JMD said.

On Tuesday, similar weather is forecast with rain occasionally falling in the Kingdom’s northern and central regions, the JMD noted.

Also on Saturday, the maximum and minimum temperatures in eastern Amman range between 13 Celsius degrees, dipping to 6C during night, while western Amman will see 11C, sliding into 5C during night hours. The Gulf of Aqaba will see a fair 21C, dropping into 10C.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Awqaf Ministry reaffirmed its total rejection of attempts to offend it, its mission and role in managing the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque affairs.

The ministry said it rejects to question the ministry’s role as the official religious institution, as well as offending those in charge of it, including imams, scholars, and officials, according to a ministry statement.

The ministry denounced the use of unacceptable characterization against scholars and officials, in a talk show that was shown recently on a TV channel, stressing that it didn’t impose any administrative penalties to mosque preachers, or issued a decision to stop them from speaking for discussing topics related to the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.

It stressed that it dedicates during the year a set of unified sermons that talk about the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and its importance to Muslims and the need to defend and protect it.

It referred to its great role in administering the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic Awqaf affairs in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, based on the Hashemite custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites, through the ministry’s Jerusalem Awqaf Department.

With regard to the Friday sermon, the ministry said that it is not minute-constrained, as mentioned in the talk show, and that its topics are diverse, and cover many Islamic, national and societal occasions. It voiced its absolute rejection of accusations against scholars in charge of religious topics that they were weak and failed to present national issues and religious affairs.

The ministry reiterated its respect for freedom of opinion and expression and constructive criticism based on facts, noting that it is in constant communication and cooperation with various media outlets, in contrast to sarcasm, mockery and misleading accusations far from the media profession that were shown in the talk show.

The ministry also denounced allegations that officials in the ministry are asking for titles and positions in exchange for giving up their religion, role and responsibilities, stressing that it retains its legal right to hold those in charge of the talk show accountable for and all false information, offends and accusations the show contained.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Minister of Labor, Nayef Steitieh, on Saturday called for investing in e-transformation to save time and effort of beneficiaries from the ministry’s directorates Amman and governorates.

In a meeting with field managers in the ministry and governorates, Istitieh stressed the need to streamline procedures and expedite the completion of citizens and investors’ transactions without any delay, and urged them to provide the best services to citizens, investors and employers in the private sector, and to find appropriate solutions to the problem of any beneficiary of their directorates in accordance with laws and regulations.

He underlined the need to prioritize the follow-up on to conditions of occupational health and safety, to develop mechanisms for linkage between employers and job seekers, and to empower women in all fields.

He also underscored the need to work on replacing expatriate workers with Jordanian labor via a mechanism that does not affect the workflow in the private sector and existing investments in the Kingdom.

For their part, the directors said that they are keen to develop work mechanisms, improve the level of services provided to investors, employers and citizens in general, and expedite the completion of citizens’ transactions, in addition to identifying the necessary needs for their directorates so that they can carry out their duties to provide services to citizens to the fullest.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The first Dutch low-cost airlines Transavia flight, carrying 150 tourists on board, has landed Saturday from Paris at Queen Alia International Airport.

“The landing of the Transavia’s first flight is an indication for the recovery of tourism and the increase in its traffic, as well as the confidence of our partners in European countries in tourism to the Kingdom,” Tourism Minister and Chairman of the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), Nayef Al-Fayez said in a statement.

Al-Fayez added, “The low-cost Dutch airline will operate weekly flights between the two countries, confirming efforts directed at expanding the air network of Queen Alia International Airport, and providing passengers with additional travel options for direct flights.”

“We always seek to attract regional and international airlines by working closely with our partners, the Airport Group, and local travel agents,” JTB Director General Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat said. The JTB seeks to stimulate tourism and enhance and increase the Kingdom’s tourism status.

The moment the airplane landed at the airport, it was received with the traditional “water arches” salute, in the presence of representatives from the JTB, the International Airport Group and the ground handling service of Transavia Airlines – Royal Jordanian, and its travel agent in Jordan.

Source: Jordan News Agency