Category: Government Policy

His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday participated in the event to present the 2021 Lamp of Peace award to United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres, after His Majesty had received it in 2019.

The award was presented to Secretary-General Guterres for his “tireless work of political mediation”, his efforts in service of the public good, and his commitment to dialogue as a means to resolve regional and international conflicts.

King Abdullah delivered a speech via telepresence at the ceremony, held in the Italian city of Assisi, and commended the UN chief’s efforts in promoting the shared values of peace, justice, mercy, and mutual respect, in addition to his role in pursuit of stability in the region and the world.

His Majesty also highlighted the secretary-general’s unwavering support for political solutions to conflicts, “including the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict the only way towards a future of security and peace for both sides”.

The King said Guterres “has been a strong voice for international law and the protection of Jerusalem, maintaining the security and status quo of its Holy Sites”.

His Majesty also praised the role of the UN secretary-general in supporting joint global action to address urgent issues, such as the global refugee crisis, the threat of extremist violence, and climate change.

For his part, Guterres said the award recognises all United Nations personnel, who are striving for peace around the world.

He thanked the King for his efforts to promote peace on the global stage, by calling for political solutions to conflicts in the region and the world.

His Majesty received the Lamp of Peace award in 2019, in recognition of his efforts to promote harmony, interfaith dialogue, and peace in the Middle East and the world, as well as Jordan’s efforts, under the his leadership, in hosting refugees.

The award, launched in 1981 and presented by the Friars of the Sacred Convent of Assisi in Italy, recognises global figures for their work towards promoting peace and harmony.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday held talks with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on strengthening cooperation across all sectors, as well as the latest regional and international developments.

During the talks, held at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, King Abdullah expressed Jordan’s keenness to advance ties with Cyprus, stressing the importance of building on the outcomes of the third trilateral summit held in Athens in July this year, between Jordan, Cyprus, and Greece.

His Majesty commended Cyprus’ efforts in countering the impact of climate change, urging regional and international collaboration to deal with this phenomenon.

Discussions also covered regional developments, especially the Palestinian cause, with the King reiterating that stability cannot be achieved in the Middle East without reaching just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

His Majesty also noted the importance of maintaining support for UNRWA to continue providing its services in accordance with its UN mandate.

Moreover, discussions covered the need to reach political solutions to crises in the region, and enhance efforts to counter terrorism within a holistic approach.

The King bestowed the Order of the Bejeweled Grand Cordon of Al Nahda (Order of the Renaissance) on President Anastasiades, in appreciation of his efforts in strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, while the Cypriot president presented the Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III to His Majesty, the highest order of merit awarded by Cyprus.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Cyprus Mohammad Fayez attended the talks.

On the sidelines of His Majesty’s visit to Cyprus, the governments of the two countries signed an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, an agreement on the extradition of persons, and a memorandum of understanding on development cooperation.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

His Majesty King Abdullah has sent a cable to Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the occasion of his country’s 50th national day and the 22nd anniversary of his accession to the throne, expressing best wishes to him and the people of Bahrain.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Minister of Social Development, Ayman Mufleh, met Thursday with Saudi ambassador, Nayef bin Bandar Al-Sudairi, to discuss prospects of joint cooperation in the social development field.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed cooperation mechanisms between the ministry and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), and cooperation in the social affairs and development sector, as well as joint committees and exchanging expertise. Mufleh stressed the deep-rooted Jordanian-Saudi relations and close bilateral cooperation.

The Saudi envoy lauded the level of Jordanian rehabilitation centers for persons with disabilities, commending Jordan’s efforts in hosting and offering services for refugees.

The two sides highlighted services provided for Saudis in care and rehabilitation centers and coordination mechanisms in this field, particularly following up on them through the embassy.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Head of the Lower House Foreign Affairs Committee, Khaldoun Haina, lauded the “distinguished” level of Jordanian-Kuwaiti relations in various fields.

Speaking at the panel’s meeting on Wednesday, with Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan, Aziz Daihani, Haina stressed the importance of the Hashemite custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem’s Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

The MP also referred to Kuwaiti investments in Jordan and their importance, calling for increasing their volume and overcoming the difficulties facing investors in both countries.

Meanwhile, the committee’s members commended the bilateral relations, calling for the need to exchange expertise between the Jordanian and Kuwaiti parliaments, and increase job opportunities for Jordanians in Kuwait.

Daihani, for his part, referred to his periodic meetings with Jordanian lawmakers, stressing his keenness on maintaining these discussions to strengthen the bilateral relations.

The number of Jordanians in Kuwait exceeds 62,000, he noted, adding that about 4,000 Kuwaiti students are enrolled at Jordan’s universities.

Kuwaiti investments in Jordan ranked first at the Arab level, which reflect resilience of Jordan’s economy, dismissing reports on obstacles facing Kuwaiti investors in Jordan, the envoy pointed out.

The diplomat also said Jordan has established a field hospital in Kuwait, lauding His Majesty King Abdullah II’s efforts in this regard to confront the Covid-19 pandemic.

The envoy, moreover, pointed to the shared Kuwaiti-Jordanian positions towards the Palestinian cause, stressing his country’s support for the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem’s holy sites, as well as support for His Majesty King Abdullah II’s efforts to restore momentum to the Palestinian cause.

Daihani stressed that Kuwait will not normalize ties with Israel, explaining that his country blocks entry and transit of any truck carrying any products coming from Israel through its territory.

Jordan, he noted, has endured a lot as a result of hosting various refugee waves, which put pressure on its economy and infrastructure.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Former Prime Minister, Fayez Tarawneh, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 72, after suffering from a terminal illness. Tarawneh served as prime minister twice, from 1998 to 1999, and in 2012.

Tarawneh assumed his first ministerial position in 1988, when he served as Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply. He also served as head of the Royal Hashemite Court. He held a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Southern California, an MA in Economics from the same university, and a BA in Economics from the University of Jordan.

In an obituary, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said that Tarawneh passed away after a life full of giving in the service of the homeland and the Hashemite throne in various positions of responsibility.

“With the passing away of Tarawneh, Jordan lost one of its loyal men who valiantly defended Jordan’s positions and constants at various levels locally, regionally and internationally,” Khasawneh said.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh has warned that Jordan, now and in the future, is threatened by “a real thirst unless we rush to implement all possible water solutions.”

“The water poverty we have reached is unprecedented and threatens the level and quality of life for our current and future generations,” the Prime Minister told a Lower House of Parliament session on Wednesday, dedicated to discussing a declaration of intent the Kingdom has recently signed with the UAE and Israel to negotiate the feasibility of a joint energy-for-water project.

He noted that the annual all-use per capita share of water in Jordan is about 90 cubic meters, while the global water poverty line is 500 cubic meters annually. Khasawneh warned that if the water situation continues as it is currently, the annual per capita share will drop to 60 cubic meters by 2040, according to reliable national and international scientific studies.

He said that the “declaration of intent is based on two interrelated, simultaneous and interdependent projects, one of which cannot be implemented without the other, to eventually enable Jordan to obtain an additional 200 million cubic meters of water annually if the two projects prove to be feasible”.

The Prime Minister stressed that the national water carrier, which is hoped to provide the capital, Amman and other regions across the Kingdom, with desalinated seawater from the Gulf of Aqaba, is “irreversible,” noting that the government will float the project’s tender “very soon”.

However, Khasawneh noted that the desalinated water to be provided by the national carrier project will enable the Kingdom to maintain the current per capita share of water until 2040, and “it will not be sufficient to increase the supply to the agriculture, industry and tourism sectors that drive employment and growth”.

“Therefore, Jordan’s need for additional water sources to meet its growing needs and stimulate growth in vital economic sectors is urgent and immediate. Accordingly, it is inevitable to quickly secure additional water sources,” the premier underlined.

The Prime Minister concluded by saying: “Every day we delay in implementing strategic and sustainable solutions and projects that provide additional and new quantities of water threatens our present and future generations,” stressing that his government “will remain committed to its national duty and will not accept that its hesitation will cause Jordanians to thirst in the future.”

Source: Jordan News Agency

An official military source at the General Command of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) on Wednesday denied reports circulated on social media networks that a Jordanian soldier opened fire on Israelis near the northern borders.

The JAF source said that on Tuesday morning Jordanian border guards, stationed on the Jordanian-Syrian-Israeli Triangle (Wadi Qalid), suspected that a smuggling attempt was underway and therefore fire some gunshots in the open to scare off the suspected smugglers.

“At this point, an Israeli patrol passed by on the opposite side of the borders. It continued its way after the smuggling attempt was thwarted by the Jordanian Army,” it added, denying any one was hurt in the incident.

The JAF source urged the public to seek information from official and authorized sources.

Source: Jordan News Agency