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AMMAN — The Cabinet on Wednesday listened to a briefing by Minister of Local Administration Walid Masri on the way municipalities and joint service councils are handling the unstable weather conditions that have affected the Kingdom over the past few days.

Masri outlined the precautionary measures that have been taken to mitigate these conditions’ impact, such as cleaning clogged culverts across the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported.

The intensity of rainfall during the past 48 hours has exceeded the usual level for this time of year, resulting in material damages, road closures and power outages in some areas, Masri said. 

AMMAN — The strenuous economic conditions in Jordan caused by sudden population growth, due to the forced migration of citizens from neighbouring countries over the past two decades, have hindered the implementation of vital projects within the transport sector, Minister of Transport Khalid Saif said on Wednesday. 

During the inauguration of a workshop on the environmental impact of the transport sector at the ministry’s headquarters, Saif said these factors have thwarted the growth of the sector, leading citizens to eschew public transport services and travel in their own vehicles, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister added that that the number of private vehicles in the Kingdom has reached 1.5 million, 1.2 million of which are based in Amman. 

The ministry of transport has taken measures and established projects to rectify the situation, including the Bus Rapid Transport, which is expected to “change the nature of public transport in the Kingdom through the utilisation of smart tools such as pre-booking, electronic payment and ensuring accurate departure and arrival times”, Saif underlined. 

Over the past few years, the government has encouraged electrical transport by offering tax and customs exemptions on electric cars, he said.

On Monday, the government reduced taxes on electric cars from 25 per cent to 10 per cent for vehicles with a 250 kilowatt engine capacity. Taxes on electric cars with an engine capacity of 251 kilowatts or more were reduced from 25 per cent to 15 per cent.

The transport sector’s current status requires a “broader understanding” of sustainable transport by decision makers and experts to better grasp its positive overall and economic impact, the minister noted.  

AMMAN — Cancelling some departments and entities affiliated with the Jordan Water Authority and merging others with the Water Ministry is part of the government's efforts to enhance efficiency and boost performance, as many of these departments share similar jurisdictions, the Water Ministry said on Wednesday.

In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the ministry said that the decisions seek to eliminate overlap between the sector’s institutions to maximise governance efficiency and productivity and reduce spending and operating costs.

Studies and analysis have highlighted the need to swiftly implement these measures to face the challenges facing the sector and further the ability to plan and implement projects in pursuit of a unified water law, according to the ministry. 

AMMAN — Expediently lowering sales tax, energy prices and customs fees are “vital” steps to stimulating the national economy in a way that enables it to overcome challenges and improve the living conditions of citizens, the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) said on Wednesday. 

In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the ACC stressed that Jordan needs a national economic reform programme that meets and realises His Majesty King Abdullah's aspirations, which he “clearly announced” during meetings with economic experts.

Improving the living conditions of Jordanians is among His Majesty's top priorities and would contribute to stimulating commercial activities that have declined over the past two years, which has negatively affected Treasury revenues, said the chamber.

The ACC called on the government to urge banks to reduce their interest rates, enabling economic sectors to secure the funds necessary to expand businesses and investments and increase their competitiveness domestically and externally, which would, consequently, create new jobs. 

Taxes should be tangibly reduced on items and services, and should be cancelled on food goods, medical equipment and children’s and school items, as rates on such commodities reach up to 51 per cent, according to the ACC. 

The chamber highlighted the importance of unifying customs fees at low rates to contribute to decreasing prices and limiting tax evasion, adding that the 5 per cent fee for customs service allowance on imported goods should be scrapped.

The ACC also noted that the decisions and procedures announced by the government earlier in the week included “positive aspects”, calling on the government to make quick decisions that take into consideration the level of recession and “remarkable decline” in the local market.  

AMMAN — The Jordan Integrity and Anti-corruption Committee (JIACC) has referred 54 cases mentioned in the Audit Bureau report to the judiciary, President of the Lower House Finance Committee MP Khalid Bakkar said on Tuesday.

During a meeting with Audit Bureau President Assem Haddad, Bakkar said that the panel had received a follow-up report from the JIACC on procedures that were implemented after the Lower House adopted the committee's recommendations in the previous session, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The MP noted that the Treasury in 2019 received more than JD189 million as a result of conciliations among citizens. Haddad said that the bureau has a main monitoring role in preserving public money, highlighting the importance of following up on bureau reports.  

AMMAN — The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) have signed a Letter of Agreement to support raising awareness of the “sensible” use of antibiotics in Jordan to minimise the impact of the global threat of Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR). 

In a statement on Wednesday, the FAO stressed that “immediate action” will be taken to raise awareness of AMR by developing communication and advocacy products that target different sectors, as described in the National Action Plan of Jordan in collaboration with the World Health Organisation country office.

 “We are honoured to facilitate the collaboration between the FAO and JUST through signing this agreement in the framework of the One Health approach, which will support the faculties of medicine and veterinary medicine at JUST through initiating mutual practices towards AMR in human and animal health,” Alexis Bonte, FAO representative ad interim, was quoted in the statement as saying.

“This is a continuation of collaboration with national specialised entities to support the concerted efforts. The signing of the Letter of Agreement coincides with World Antibiotics Awareness Week 2019,” he said.

Vice President of JUST Sarhan Haddad said: “This agreement will help the community to raise awareness on the use of antibiotics on the farm, para-vet, community and veterinarian levels in the various directorates of agriculture,” according to the statement.

Haddad also stressed the importance of the Regional Centre for Infectious Diseases and AMR as it is the “only support centre for infectious diseases in the livestock sector”.

He stressed that the university, with its scientific and technical cadres, is “supporting the National Action Plan of One Health to support AMR and raising awareness on the unregulated use of antibiotics”.

The agreement seeks to contribute to minimising the threat of AMR as an integral part of food security, the statement concluded. 

AMMAN — State Security Court (SSC) Presiding Judge Colonel Ali Mubaidin on Tuesday decided to adjourn the “Tobacco” case due to the hospitalisation of one of the suspects.

The SSC began the trial of the suspects in the Tobacco case on March 12 and has so far heard the testimonies of 77 witnesses in the case, which involves 29 defendants, out of whom six remain at large and one deceased, in addition to 24 companies, including 22 registered under the names of 22 defendants, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

AMMAN — The Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) and the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (Int@j) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the aim of working jointly to provide quality training for young Jordanians in line with the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. 

CPF CEO Tamam Mango, who signed the MoU, said that the IT sector “receives great attention” from the foundation, as it plays a “crucial role” in young people’s lives, noting that the new partnership is consistent with the foundation’s aims, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Int@j Chairman of the Board of Directors Bashar Hawamdeh said that the memo is a part of the company’s endeavours to build partnerships with supporters of the entrepreneurship system, noting that Int@aj will launch more initiatives to encourage innovation and creativity among the younger generation and develop their skills to access the labour market.

AMMAN — The Ambassador of Indonesia to Jordan and Palestine Andy Rachmianto, on Tuesday, visited Talbieh camp, which hosts more than 25,000 Palestinian refugees, according to an Indonesian embassy statement. The purpose of the visit was to deliver a Medical Transportation Unit donated by a number of drug and food companies in Indonesia.

The donation was collected through a fundraising campaign by the Indonesian Drug and Food Administration in cooperation with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) and Medical Aids for Palestine.

It collected funds amounting to $117,000, which will be allocated by the JHCO to procure basic needs, medical equipment and winter supplies for other refugee camps across Jordan, in addition to the purchase of the vehicle.

The ambassador said that this assistance is “part of humanitarian diplomacy”, as one of the priorities of the Indonesian embassy in Amman to assist both Palestinian and Syrian refugees in Jordan.

“Indonesia has always given attention and support to the Palestinian people, including those who live in refugee camps,” he was quoted in the statement as saying. 

AMMAN — The Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA) on Wednesday praised Interior Minister Salameh Hammad’s decision to ease visa constraints on a number of restricted Arab and foreign nationalities.

JSTA President Mohammad Samih highlighted the importance of the decision, which he said will reflect positively on the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Samih described the decision as a “boost for more growth in the tourism sector” and a source of contribution to the Kingdom’s GDP through creating jobs and stimulating other relevant sectors.

Under the decision, Jordanian diplomatic missions abroad and at border posts are authorised to approve entry visas for “restricted” Arab and foreign nationalities that have been issued visas by the US, EU Schengen zone countries or any other EU country including the UK, as well as Canada and Arab Gulf states.