Category: General

Four female journalists won an award, launched by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) last April, for stories written on humanitarian subjects.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Jordan Press Association (JPA) and the Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRCS) held a formal ceremony Monday evening in Amman to announce the winners of the first Humanitarian Awards organized by the partners in Jordan.

The first prize was shared by two journalists: Tala Ayoub from Al-Rai Newspaper and Ikhlas Al-Qadi from the Ammon News. Two journalists also shared the second prize; Ola Abdel-Latif from Al-Ghad Newspaper, and Razan Al-Majali from Al-Rai Newspaper, according to an ICRC statement released Tuesday.

The Humanitarian Awards was launched in April this year for entries on stories and photos published between June 2020 and September 7, 2021 in two categories: the best story on a humanitarian subject and the best photograph on a humanitarian subject. However, the jury panel concluded that there were no winners in the photo category, as the entries submitted did not meet prescribed standards.

During the ceremony, Sarah Avrillaud, Head of the ICRC Delegation in Jordan, said that “the motivation of the ICRC for instituting the competition is born out of its conviction that the media in every country could play an essential role in raising attention to the plight of those affected by humanitarian crisis so that the reading and viewing public may be better informed. Equally important is the fact that those who make policy or take decisions that could impact this category of persons would be able to take informed decisions on issues related to the affected populations.”

Emphasizing the role the press can play in promoting humanitarian action, Khaled Qudah, representative of the JPA, said that “we are pleased to cooperate with the ICRC and the JRCS, as we all strive to maximize the values of humanity, motivate journalists to report more on humanitarian issues and reward creative writing that shows the power of words and images.”

Announcing the winners, Hussein Nashwan, a member of the jury panel said that “the jury read the materials presented under the humanitarian story genre, considering the novelty and originality of the topic, the richness of the material and its professionalism. In addition to its neutral and impartial treatment. The committee also set evaluation criteria related to language, syntax, good selection of topics, and method of handling and presenting a humanitarian story in writing.”

The ceremony brought together diplomats, media personalities, humanitarian and development organizations.

Source: Jordan News Agency

For her part, the Swedish Foreign Minister hailed the agency’s efforts under such difficult circumstances, underscoring that today’s conference is an opportunity to renew solidarity with Palestinian refugees and UNRWA’s international mandate and crucial role.

She also underlined the need to continue supporting the UNRWA until the refugee issue is resolved, pointing out the importance of matching the agency’s political support with financial support to enable it to carry out the minimum requirements of its operations in its areas of work. Additionally, Linde highlighted the need to provide a sustainable and stable budget for the agency.

Meanwhile, the UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini thanked both Safadi and Linde for organizing this conference, stressing that the UNRWA’s vision rests on the commitment to leave no Palestinian refugee behind. “It [UNRWA’s vision] is about ensuring that UNRWA services accompany all refugees on their transformative journey towards self-reliance,” he added.

“Financial and political threats of a truly existential nature are working against this vision. If these threats are not addressed decisively, they will create a vacuum and a human disaster that this region simply cannot afford,” Lazzarini noted.

He called for supporting the UNRWA with $100 million to bring the agency and personnel back to their full capacity.

According to the Commissioner-General, countries participating in the conference have pledged around $38 million.

This conference is the third in a series of conferences held under a Jordanian-Swedish joint organization following the Rome conference in 2018, aiming to mobilize the necessary international political and financial support for the agency and reduce the financial deficit it faced. The efforts plugged the unprecedented financial deficit, after a total of $122 million were pledged for this purpose.

In June of 2020, the International Ministerial Conference on UNRWA brought together more than fifty countries and representatives of international and regional organizations. During the conference, a total of $130 million were pledged to enable the agency to provide its vital services to Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operation in accordance with its UN mandate.

Source: Jordan News Agency

An international ministerial conference, co-chaired by Jordan and Sweden, brought together 29 officials and 61 representatives of countries and international organizations to drum up

financial and political support for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi and Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde headed the meeting held on Tuesday.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who also attended the conference, spoke about the vital role the agency plays in the lives of generations of Palestinian refugees, and its pivotal role in promoting regional stability. He stressed that although countries have agreed to the UN mandate given to UNRWA, the agency is still facing an existential crisis, calling for providing adequate, sustainable and predictable funding to enable UNRWA to provide its vital services to the Palestinian refugees, and to plug the funding gap immediately.

In opening remarks, Safadi stressed the need for the international community to continue providing the necessary financial support to the agency, noting that the financial deficit is estimated at $100 million for this year.

He also underscored the need to support the agency to be able to provide its services to more than five million Palestinian refugees so that they, and UNRWA employees, can enjoy a decent living.

Safadi also stressed the need to guarantee the inalienable right of more than 500,000 Palestinian children to education and the inalienable right of refugees to health services.

Moreover, he rejected claims that UNRWA will shut down due to the financial deficit, underscoring that sustaining UNRWA’s work is a shared responsibility.

Safadi commended the United States decision to resume funding, channeling about $318 million to the agency for 2021, underlining the importance of drawing up long-term and multi-year budgets.

The agency, he said, must continue providing services until the refugees issue is resolved according to the international law, and the two-state solution that would guarantee the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In a concluding comment, Safadi stressed that the Kingdom, the biggest supporter of the agency and Palestinian refugees, will continue to work with partners and with the UNRWA to ensure the continuity of funding and to plug the budget deficit.

Safadi said that backing UNRWA indicates support to refugees’ right to a decent living, stressing that the agency, which operates under difficult circumstances, has proven the centrality of its role and the impossibility of its shut down.

He pointed out that the conference and the support shown by the participating countries underlined that the international community supports the agency and sends a message to refugees that the international community stands with them and with their rights and will not abandon them.

Safadi thanked the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs for partnering with Jordan in the efforts to back the agency, hailing her participation at a time when the current Swedish government is a caretaker. He also commended the UNRWA Commissioner-General and the agency’s staff for their efforts.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Majesty King Abdullah received Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, on Tuesday at Al Husseiniya Palace, at the start of his official visit to the Kingdom.

At expanded talks that followed a bilateral meeting which was attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, and His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy discussions covered the deep-rooted ties of friendship between the two countries and the importance of maintaining coordination on issues of mutual concern.

Speaking at the top of the expanded meeting, King Abdullah welcomed the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on their visit to Jordan, which had been delayed because of COVID-19.

His Majesty said the visit comes in the year that marks Jordan’s centennial and 100 years for the ties between the two countries.

The King noted the relationship he witnessed as he grew up between the late King Hussein and Prince Charles, adding that he built on this relationship with the Prince of Wales.

“To see two young men, our sons, establish their relationship really warms my heart,” His Majesty continued.

The King commended the success of the Glasgow climate summit. “I know this is something that you started way before anybody really understood these challenges, and I just wanted to commend you for your leadership,” His Majesty said, addressing Prince Charles.

For his part, the Prince of Wales expressed delight to visit Jordan.

“I cannot thank Your Majesty enough for your incredibly kind and generous welcome. It is always very special indeed to come back to Jordan. I’m sorry this time it is, what, 19 months late, so I do apologise when we should have been here last March,” Prince Charles said.

But the visit is “hugely encouraging” he continued, “because we have been all of us most concerned about all our friends in Jordan and the Middle East throughout this appalling pandemic.”

“This occasion is even more special, bearing in mind the centenary of the very special relationship and friendship between both our countries. And in all those years, that relationship has matured even more and matters a very great deal to us in the United Kingdom,” Prince Charles said.

“I also wanted to say particularly just how hugely we all admire Jordan and Your Majesty’s efforts in looking after so many refugees coming from all around this area, and the fact that Jordan is so unbelievably hospitable and generous, is truly remarkable,” he added.

Referring to the Glasgow climate conference, Prince Charles said ,”the talking has gone on for so long, it’s time for action on the ground, which is the most important thing of all.”

At the expanded talks attended by Crown Prince Al Hussein and Prince Ghazi, as well as senior officials from the two countries His Majesty stressed the importance of bolstering cooperation between Jordan and the UK, especially across economic fields.

The King expressed appreciation of the UK’s support for Jordan’s development efforts, including response to the Syrian refugee crisis, which has been compounded due to the impact of COVID-19.

His Majesty also commended the UK’s efforts to counter climate change, stressing Jordan’s keenness to contribute to these efforts, as well as the Kingdom’s readiness to collaborate with the UK in enhancing food security and mitigating the economic impact of COVID-19.

Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Jordan’s Ambassador in London Manar Dabbas, UK’s Ambassador to Jordan Bridget Brind, and a number of British officials attended the talks.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Under royal directives, a Medical evacuation airplane transported, Hamza Qura’an, from the King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) in Irbid, northern Jordan, to the King Hussein Medical Center (KHMC) in Amman, in order to receive the necessary medical and health care, after he sustained serious injuries due to an explosion of a bag of antique copper in a hardware store where he works in the city of Irbid.

Hamza is a young university student, married with two children, who works in his father’s shops in the haberdashery, scrap and metal trade. He sustained multiple injuries and fractures due to shrapnel that exploded inside the shop. He was treated at Princess Basma Hospital in Irbid and provided with the necessary first aid before he was transferred to KAUH.

Irbid governor, Radwan Otoum, who accompanied by senior security officials visited Qura’an at KAUH, said he is receiving the necessary medical care.

KAUH director, Muhammad Ghazo, said that the young man’s health condition didn’t allow him to be transferred, and when his condition stabilized, he was transferred to the the King Hussein Medical Center.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The EU Monday announced a new tranche of sanctions against Belarus in response to the refugee crisis on the Belarus-Poland borders, according to the BBC.

The UK national broadcaster reported that EU officials have said the sanctions will target individuals implicated with the smuggling of immigrants through Belarus.

The EU is accusing Minsk of pushing refugees to the country’s eastern borders to “undermine security” there, accusations that Minsk have denied.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Turkey will continue its steadfast support for Lebanon’s economic stability, the nation’s foreign minister said on a visit to the capital Beirut on Monday.

Paying an official visit to Lebanon to meet with the new government, Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter that his first talks in the country were with Amin Salam, the economy and trade minister.

“Our support to the economic stability of Lebanon will continue,” he added.

After talks with his Lebanese counterpart, Cavusoglu is also scheduled to be received by the country’s president, parliament speaker, and prime minister to discuss steps to enhance Ankara’s relations with Beirut, along with regional and international developments, according to Turkey’s Foreign Ministry.

On Sept. 10, a new Lebanese government was announced 13 months after the government of Hassan Diab resigned following the August 2020 horrific blast at the Port of Beirut.

Since late 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with severe domestic challenges including a currency devaluation against the dollar, along with shortages of fuel and medicines.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey will take part this week in a UN gathering to strengthen protection for Palestinian refugees and aid their human development, it announced Monday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal will participate virtually in the conference – co-convened by Jordan and Sweden – which is set to take place Tuesday in Brussels, said a Foreign Ministry statement.

The conference is meant to strengthen the mutual responsibility of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the international community “to protect the rights and enhance the human development of the Palestine refugees, by providing the Agency with the financial stability and predictability of funding it requires to fully and effectively implement its United Nations General Assembly mandate,” the UN agency said.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday had a phone conversation with his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics amid the ongoing migrant crisis with Belarus, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Cavusoglu and Rinkevics discussed the migration crisis on the Belarusian-Polish border, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restriction on speaking to the media.

Along with Poland and Lithuania, Latvia also borders Belarus, and all three have seen dramatic spikes in the number of irregular crossings since August.

The top Latvian diplomat also thanked Turkey for the measures it has taken on the issue, sources added.

After EU officials reached out last week to a range of airlines and aviation authorities asking for cooperation in stopping the migration crisis at the bloc’s borders with Belarus, Turkey was among the countries that took action to keep migrants from flying to Belarus.

NATO and the EU consider Belarus’ approach toward migrants an effort to destabilize and undermine security in the bloc through non-military means.

According to EU figures, 7,935 people tried to enter the bloc via the Belarus-EU border so far this year, up sharply from just 150 last year.

After a large group of migrants started marching toward the country’s frontier with Belarus accompanied by the Belarusian military, last week Polish authorities stepped up border protection and mobilized more than 12,000 troops.

The EU is also set to expand sanctions against Belarus over the crisis.

Source: Anadolu Agency