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AMMAN — Jordan’s stance is firm in condemning and rejecting Israeli settlements and their breach of international law, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Monday. 

“Israeli settlements in Palestine constitute a breach of international law and international legitimacy resolutions, the most recent of which was UN Security Council Resolution 2334,” Safadi stressed in a Foreign Ministry statement.  

He reiterated Jordan’s condemnation of Israeli settlements as a “unilateral measure that kills the two-state solution and undermines the prospects of regional peace”.

The minister stressed that “nothing can change the illegitimacy of settlements”, which have been denounced by the international community. 

Safadi warned of the threat posed by a shift in US policy on settlements and its impact on peace efforts at a time when the peace process is facing “unprecedented threats” as a result of unilateral Israeli policies and actions that impede the chances of a resolution to the conflict. 

“Settlements in occupied #Palestine are a blatant violation of Int’l law & UNSCRs. They are an illegal action that’ll kill 2-state solution. Jordan’s position in condemning them is unwavering. We warn against dangerous consequences of US change of position on settlements on MEPP,” Safadi tweeted.

“The occupation’s… abuse and breach of international legitimacy will not achieve peace or ensure security and stability,” Safadi said in the statement. 

The foreign minister reaffirmed the need for urgent and effective international action to safeguard what remains of peace prospects on the basis of the two-state solution, before Israeli violations and illegal measures make it “impossible”.

AMMAN — In cooperation with the University of Jordan (UJ), NUBUL for Training and Development launched its project “Kushk Al Khair” (Kiosk of Good) at the UJ on November 12, with the aim of employing needy students and providing support to the Student Support Fund (SSF) at the university.

In cooperation with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development, NUBUL employs students who are close to graduating and areregistered withthe SSF at the kiosk, giving them an income to pay their fees, NUBUL’s Founder and President KawtherQatarneh said.  

She added that after the project “gained acceptance” on campus, NUBUL raised the number of students working at the kiosk from four to six, with three of them females.

Sixty per cent of the project’s earnings go towards the SSF, while the rest of the profits are used to run the kiosk, Qatarneh said. 

“We call on the UJ to establish more charitable kiosks to help more needy graduating students registered in the SSF,” Qatarneh added, encouraging other Jordanian universities to follow in the UJ’s footsteps by creating similar projects to reduce the number of needy students.

Kushk Al Khair’s launch saw the attendance of UJ President Abdelkareem Qudah, NUBUL Honorary President Princess Deema Al Saud and the Arab Union Social Solidarity delegation,headed by Princess Hind Bint Abdulrahman.

NUBULwas established on the idea of transforming people from consumers to producers through entrepreneurial projects, Qatarneh said, adding that the organisation seeks to find university graduates with skills, capabilities and ambition to engage them in business.

For his part, NUBUL’s Operations Manager Ali Shahin said that the organisation will start its winter campaign in the beginning of December, distributing blankets and heaters to needy families. This campaign will be funded by revenues of NUBUL’s “Together… Against Poverty and Hunger” marathon, which was held on October 18.

NUBUL is an organisation that provides food aid to the poor, encourages solidarity and motivates volunteering.  It also supports women’s empowerment, organising an annual conference to that end, Shahin added. 

AMMAN — Following the announcement of the second batch of government economic reforms on Monday, economists concurred that the new measures are “promising strategies, albeit in need of further support”.

Prime Minister Omar Razzaz announced the cancellation and merging of eight institutions and ministries, as well as the minimisation of a number of commissions in the remaining bodies.

The government also said that a general framework will soon emerge for independent government bodies and institutions.

“It is a positive sign that the government is following a strategy that has an end goal to achieve. An inclusive economic reform plan is what is needed to stop the economic slowdown and initiate a boost instead,” said economist Husam Ayesh.

“More than 75 per cent of commissions created within ministries and government institutions after 2004 should be eliminated,” he added.

The elimination of “obsolete” government bodies was said by Ayesh to “have immediate positive effects on citizens because it cuts government spending and thus leaves more room in the budget for services and programmes that raise the quality of life”.

Although economists concurred that it was “impossible to accurately measure” what these reforms can contribute towards increasing the GDP or reviving the economy, given that they are “more general strategies than number-bound steps”, the reforms were agreed to be “an economic transformation and the stepping stone for a better future”, Ayesh said.

Among the reforms was the Central Bank of Jordan’s (CBJ) commitment to providing JD100 million in support of house ownership by low-income individuals.

Economist Adel Bino said that in the proposed programme, the CBJ “seems to have realised and partially fixed a problem that faced a previous similar programme”.

He told The Jordan Times in a phone interview that the CBJ had previously tried to implement a similar programme to support small- and medium-size enterprises, but that it did not succeed because “the loans were provided via commercial banks that require potential borrowers to put down large guarantees that the borrowers could not afford, and they also charged high and floating interest rates that, again, borrowers deemed too costly”.

Under the new reforms, Bino said, the “CBJ must have realised this, as they have now decided to provide assistance by at least partially guaranteeing repayment by low-income individuals”.

However, he said that from an economic point of view, this programme represents “a direct subsidy to low-income individuals that, although it may have favourable consequences in the short-term, may have detrimental consequences in the long-run, first, because these loans may be abused and borrowers may still default and second, because the CBJ may be viewed as a competitor to commercial banks”.

He noted that it might be a better strategy if the CBJ “worked on enhancing competition in the banking industry on the one hand and found alternative mechanisms for implementing its programmes instead of through commercial banks, on the other”.

Concerning other measures, government statistics announced by Razzaz showed that the real-estate reforms implemented under the first bundle have helped raise the number of sold real estates by 93 per cent. Measuring the period between October 2018 and November 2019 shows that the number went from 1,760 sold real estates in 2018 to 3,399 in 2019.

However, according to Bino, it is “hard to conclude” that the increase was a result of government measures alone.

Ayesh also added that economically, it would be better to take “more tangible steps rather than general strategies if the government wants to see immediate change”.

“Perhaps the government is currently unable to take bold steps such as reducing taxes or interest rates, but that would certainly yield greater, more striking positive effects, so hopefully we can see that in future reform batches,” he concluded.

AMMAN — The government on Monday approved a set of measures aligned with suggestions proposed by the Jordan Free Zones Investment Commission (FZIC), which included eliminating the weight tax on vehicles, lowering taxes on electric cars and returning consumption rates to their previous state. 

FZIC President Mohammad Bostanji told The Jordan Times over the phone on Monday that consumption rates were reduced to the original figures of 2016, and included all types of cars.  

Bostanji added that the government reduced taxes on electric cars from 25 per cent to 10 per cent for vehicles with a 250 kilowatt engine capacity, which represent 95 per cent of electric cars in the Jordanian market. Taxes on electric cars with an engine capacity of 251 kilowatts or more were reduced from 25 per cent to 15 per cent.

The FZIC president estimated that the reduction in price of electric cars would range between JD1,500 to JD2,000 per car, which would “positively affect” the electric car market, consumers’ demands and the environment.  

The weight tax on cars was replaced by a 4 per cent tax on their original values, which, according to Bostanji, would result in a reduction of taxes imposed on “average cars”.

Hybrid and gas-fuelled cars would also benefit from this replacement and the adjustment of the consumption rate, causing their costs to decrease by JD1,000 to JD1,500 per car.

“The resolutions would primarily benefit the citizens,” he said, noting that the government’s decisions will also “positively affect” the “vast majority” of traders.

In regards to the new measures, Bostanji also estimated that by the end of November, the number of cars going through customs in this month would increase by 15 per cent compared with October’s numbers.

The government’s resolutions agreed with 70 to 80 per cent of FZIC proposals regarding the car sector, he added, highlighting that the FZIC was “promised more enhancements” should the effects of the resolutions on revenues and economic activity meet the government’s expectations.  

Bostanji also expressed gratitude for the Finance Ministry’s cooperation, praising the economic approach the minister follows.  

AMMAN — Jordan and NATO on Monday discussed means to enhance cooperation, especially on the parliamentary level and in regards to the exchange of expertise. 

Receiving a delegation of NATO parliamentarians from the Sub-Committee on Future Security and Defence Capabilities (DSCFC), Prime Minister Omar Razzaz reviewed the challenges facing the Kingdom, which arise from unstable regional conditions, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Razzaz also pointed to the several refugee influxes the Kingdom has welcomed, the last of which was the arrival of Syrian refugees, noting that Jordan cooperates with regional and international entities to find solutions to regional conflicts. 

For their part, the NATO delegates said that their visit to the Kingdom aims at exploring further fields of cooperation and getting acquainted with Jordan's vision on the latest developments in the region and the priorities of the Kingdom's foreign policy. 

Senate President Faisal Fayez also met with the delegates and reviewed the repercussions of unstable regional conditions on the economy and security of the Kingdom, as Jordan has received some 1.3 million Syrian refugees, Petra reported. 

He highlighted Jordan's welcoming of refugees over the decades, noting its security and stability and the good treatment of refugees regardless of their ethnicities, religions or countries of origin. 

Jordan is among the countries that hosts the largest number of refugees, Fayez stressed, calling on the international community to bear its moral and legal responsibilities towards refugees.

For their part, the delegates expressed their appreciation for the Kingdom’s role in enhancing regional stability and security, conveying their keenness to enhance cooperation with Jordan through partnership and programmes.  

Later on Monday, First Deputy Lower House Speaker Nassar Qaisi also met with the NATO delegation. 

“The latest developments in the region require all entities to work together with a foundation of unity, coordination and continuous dialogue to defend security in the region and the world,” Qaisi said during the meeting, according to Petra. 

He highlighted Jordan’s adherence to finding peaceful solutions to all regional crises, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah. 

Qaisi stressed the importance of supporting Jordan’s efforts in hosting Syrian refugees, as caring for them is an international responsibility “that is not Jordan’s to bear on its own, given that the number of Syrian refugees has reached around 1.3 million or 25 per cent of the Kingdom’s population”.

Qaisi noted that the large number of refugees has exacerbated the economic challenges facing the Kingdom and taken a toll on living standards. 

“These heavy loads have drained health and education institutions and infrastructural components such as water and electricity of their resources,” Qaisi said. 

“Jordan has long suffered because of its firm stance on the Palestinian cause, yet, despite challenges, it has and will remain committed to its values and the Palestinian people’s right to an independent state,” Qaisi underlined. 

The official noted that Jordan has made “great strides” on its path towards comprehensive reform and in accordance with a “clear roadmap through which tangible achievements have been made”. 

The delegates expressed appreciation for Jordan’s work in various regional and international causes and its efforts in hosting Syrian refugees despite difficult economic conditions. 

“Mutual visits will contribute to converging perspectives on a number of issues of bilateral interest, especially those pertinent to enhancing security and stability,” the delegates said. 

AMMAN — Citizens took to social media to express their displeasure with the recent news that pumping from the Disi water conveyance project will be halted from Monday, November 25, until Thursday, November 28, affecting several areas in Amman and Zarqa.

In a statement, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said on Sunday that the halt in pumping is aimed at enabling programmed maintenance work of the Disi Water Company to ensure continuous pumping year-round, while the Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) specified in another statement that the Mujib and Zarqa pumping stations in particular need maintenance.

“In order to maintain the continuity of the pumping lines throughout the year, the water shares of some areas in Amman, Zarqa and Rusaifa will be affected by this programmed downtime,” said the ministry statement.

It called on citizens in affected areas to take necessary precautions by storing sufficient quantities of water to meet their needs during the period of suspension.

Facebook user Rawhi Saleh posted that Miyahuna “cuts off the water in the poorer areas of Amman and Zarqa instead of West Amman whenever they want to do maintenance”.

Mahmoud Balasmeh, a citizen of Zarqa, told The Jordan Times that the dissatisfaction on social media “reflects what people think as well. During the summer, the water is not pumped because of ‘deficiency’. In the winter, it is because of ‘maintenance’. When will we actually get our share of water?”

In their statement, Miyahna noted: “The maintenance work was scheduled for winter as that is when the demand is at its minimum. All necessary measures have been taken to ensure that the northern governorates are not affected.”

Miyahuna and the Disi Water Company both confirmed that they will “exert all efforts to complete the maintenance work within the specified time of 96 hours”.

Nuha Omoush, a resident of Zarqa, told The Jordan Times over the phone that the “expected timeframes that are usually announced are often violated, and many downtimes continue for at least a week afterwards”.

“Sometimes in the summer it would be announced that the pumping would be delayed for a day and then go on to be delayed for 14 days,” she added.

On a Facebook group for Ameer Al Hassan neighbourhood, one area that is to be affected next week, citizens talked of having to “frequently buy additional water tanks to supply more water”, as put by Tamer Hassan.

“We might as well store as much water as we can when it is pumped, because we do not know when the next time will be. Winter or summer, the situation is the same,” he added.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Monday reiterated Jordan and Kuwait's "deep ties" in various fields.

During a meeting with a Kuwaiti industrial-commercial delegation headed by Director General of the Kuwaiti Public Authority for Industry Abdul Karim Taqi, Razzaz reaffirmed the Kingdom's keenness to advance mutual cooperation in the best interests of the two countries, notably in the economic and trade fields.

Kuwait is the top Arab investor in the Kingdom, the premier said, welcoming more Kuwaiti ventures and expressing the Kingdom's readiness to facilitate such enterprises, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He also went over investment opportunities in vital infrastructure, transport and water projects.

Razzaz highlighted that Jordan advanced 29 ranks in the World Bank’s 2020 Ease of Doing Business Report, attributing the jump to the government's efforts in following up with investment-related issues and devoting attention to feedback from businesspeople. 

Minister of Industry and Trade Tareq Hammouri, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Aziz Daihani, President of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce Senator Nael Kabariti and President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry Fathi Jaghbir attended the meeting.

Hammouri pointed to the importance of joint coordination with Kuwaiti counterparts to penetrate global markets.

For his part, the Kuwaiti diplomat emphasised the necessity of activating the agreements that have been signed between the two sides, expressing pride in the volume of Kuwaiti investments in the Kingdom, which is the highest among Arab countries, reaching $18 billion.

He added that his country is seeking to increase this number, expressing appreciation for Jordan's efforts towards supporting Kuwaiti businesspeople in the Kingdom.

"We are pushing forward towards advanced economic relations," the ambassador said, expressing his country's support to Jordan in light of the difficult economic circumstances it is experiencing, and his confidence in Jordan's ability to achieve the desired improvement.

Kuwaiti Director General of the Public Authority for Industry AbdulKarim Taqi said that the Kuwaiti delegation's visit to the Kingdom is intended to explore investment opportunities in various fields, according to Petra.

For his part, Kabariti said that the government's recent package of incentives has gained the satisfaction of the Jordanian private sector, as well as Arabs and foreign investors.

Appreciating Kuwait's role in underpinning Jordanian exports, Jaghbir noted that Kuwait does not put obstacles in the path of trade exchange, highlighting that during the closure of the Jordanian-Iraqi borders, Jordanian exports to Iraq passed through Kuwait. 

AMMAN — The government announced on Monday during a panel discussion held at the Royal Cultural Centre in Amman that taxes on electric vehicles have been lowered, management spending and purchasing will be unified on a single online platform and bureaucracy will be reduced.

The panel discussion, following Prime Minister Omar Razzaz's opening remarks, saw the participation of Finance Minister Mohamad Al-Ississ, Secretary General of the Prime Ministry Sami Dawood, Minister of State for Institutional Performance Development Yasera Ghosheh, General Director of the General Supplies Department Nizar Mhaidat and President of the Legislation and Opinion Bureau Fida Hamoud.

Taxes on vehicles

During the panel, Al-Ississ announced that the government has lowered taxes on electric vehicles from 25 per cent to 10 per cent for vehicles with a motor capacity of up to 250 kilowatts and 15 per cent for vehicles with a motor capacity of 251 kilowatts and above. 

As for the weight tax, Al-Ississ noted that it was previously based on the vehicle's weight alone, which was "unjust", as someone buying an old model would have to pay the same taxes as someone buying a new model with the same weight.

Thus, the government abolished the weight tax and replaced it with a separate 4 per cent tax imposed on the original total value of the vehicle. 

"This will reduce the financial burden imposed by the weight tax, but more importantly, it will make a distinction between luxury vehicles and regular ones," the minister noted. 

The minister also announced that consumption rates that were changed in 2017 will be brought back to their original levels as well, noting that this was one of the sector's main demands.

Government budget

For his part, Mhaidat announced the launch of a new public sector purchasing system that replaces 56 systems. 

He also announced the merging of the unified purchases and general supplies departments into one department titled "Government Purchases Department". 

Mhaidat said that his department is working on a project that aims at controlling spending, noting that under this project, each government department will have to determine its annual needs at the beginning of the year, which will then be announced online for transparency in order to calculate these needs from the general budget.

As a result, Mhaidat said, no funding will be dispensed outside of what was announced at the beginning of the year, which should help in paying off the budget’s debt.

He noted that the new systems ensure “proper governance and total transparency”, as well as minimise human resources and utilise technology to enhance efficiency.

Bureaucracy 

For his part, Minister of State Yasera Ghosheh said that a study conducted in 2018 aimed at reconsidering the roles of certain government departments, which is why certain institutions have been abolished or merged with others. 

The work in this regard will continue, as ministries have one month to reconsider departments beyond the announced eight, evaluating the need for those departments in order to decide their fate. 

The minister said that relaying the tasks of certain departments to others and merging will “significantly lower” operational costs, which she said will appear in the budget clearly at some point. 

For his part, Dawood announced that as of January 1, 2020, there will be a new civil service system that will treat public sector employees equally in ministries and departments. 

Based on international studies and standards, the government has also evaluated the number of directors at certain commissions and departments in order to resolve any imbalance and ensure that the appropriate numbers of directors are employed.

These procedures and changes will not affect certain independent entities, such as the Independent Election Commission, the Central Bank of Jordan and the Audit Bureau, he added. 

"Twenty-nine per cent of citizen applications unnecessarily reach the Cabinet," Dawood said, noting that the government sent 175 legislations to the Lower House in order to reconsider these applications and reduce bureaucracy. 

Bundle's impact

Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said in a tweet on his official Twitter account that the new bundle “will help many sectors” and resolve various hindrances and inefficiencies in management and bureaucracy. 

He added that this will reflect positively on services provided to the public and that this is at the top of His Majesty King Abdullah's priorities and at the core of the Royal directives to the government. 

AMMAN — The Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the Small Claims Initiative with the goal of substantially reducing the litigation period in small-value monetary disputes over civil or commercial matters.

The Small Claims Initiative has institutionalised new procedures aiming to settle small financial disputes “quickly and easily” by reducing the litigation period and subsequently easing the burden of accumulating cases in courts, as small financial disputes before the courts have reached 25 per cent of total cases, according to a UNDP statement. 

The initiative will save the time and efforts of litigants, the statement said.

During a ceremony marking the opening of the initiative, Minister of Justice Bassam Talhouni said that the ministry, in cooperation with concerned authorities, adopted the national initiative for quick, simplified and concise procedures to solve small-claim lawsuits, while ensuring that they remain low-cost.

“The procedures target average citizens so that they can utilise their right to litigation procedures easily. Long and expensive procedures often made citizens hesitant to go to court with their legal disputes,” he said.

UNDP Resident Representative Sara Ferrer Olivella commended the Ministry of Justice for advancing the Small Claims Initiative. She told an audience of judges, lawyers and legal professionals: “The success of the Small Claims Initiative is a vital contribution to the economy of Jordan, easing the way for doing business and saving time and money in lengthy legal procedures. From a UNDP perspective, this is a must and something we all strive for,” according to the statement.

The Ministry, with the support of the UNDP, has engaged in exploring opportunities for further improving the performance of the justice system in handling small claims since February 2019. A “Small Claims Committee” was established in February 2019 with the mandate of developing a model capable of handling small claims in Jordan.

The Committee is composed of 12 members and chaired by Walid Kanakriyah, Judge in Amman’s Court of Appeals. 

AMMAN — The Ministry of Water has launched a new electronic system at sector institutions, termed “gate of electronic services”, which aims at streamlining administrative transactions related to water and sewage services, Water Minister Raed Abul Saud announced on Monday.

The system was launched with technical assistance from USAID in coordination with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Abul Saud said that the ministry has begun the shift to digitalise all transactions and procedures within three months, to “save time and effort”.

The minister noted that the system is expected to safely increase productivity, reduce expenditures, enhance procedural efficiency and provide more accurate monitoring of transactions. 

For his part, Issa Halabi, head of the ministry’s ICT department, said that the system will ease the workload of employees in filing and documenting information, noting that in two weeks, it will be available for all employees in the field outside of the ministry’s headquarters.