Local

AMMAN — Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh on Tuesday highlighted the economic importance of the Basra-Aqaba oil pipeline in providing the Kingdom with some 150,000 barrels of crude oil a day.

He said that the project also includes building reservoirs with a capacity of 7 million barrels and establishing a port to export the Iraqi oil from Aqaba, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister estimated the cost of the pipeline to range between $8 billion and $10 billion with a total length of 1,350 kilometres (350km between Basra and Najaf and 1,000km from Najaf to Aqaba). Kharabsheh said that the exporting capacity of the pipeline will stand at around 1 million barrel a day.

AMMAN — Japan last week decided to extend a new assistance package for the projects of international organisations in Jordan, which amounts to some $17.5 million, to assist the Kingdom in facing the regional turmoil and the large influx of refugees into the country, an embassy statement said.

Grants will be provided to UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNOPS, UNWOMEN, FAO, IOM, WFP, ICRC and Japan Platform, an international emergency humanitarian aid organisation, to implement projects in the field of humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and host communities and assistance to prevent radicalisation and terrorism, according to the statement. 

AMMAN — The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) has allocated several plots to build residential projects aimed at average income citizens at subsidised prices, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Tuesday.

ASEZA called on leading housing companies to take advantage of this investment opportunity as it allows vertical expansion of building projects in residential neighbourhoods according to regulations to cope with the population growth in Aqaba.

ASEZA Chief Commissioner Nasser Shraideh said appropriate locations were designated to establish specialised hospitals to enhance medical services in the port city.

AMMAN — Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) welcomed 7,914,704 passengers during 2017, a 6.8 per cent increase compared with the previous year, a statement by Airport International Group said.

Meanwhile, aircraft movement figures registered a marginal year-to-date increase of 0.4 per cent, totaling 74,044 movements, while cargo traffic figures experienced an overall growth of 9.1 per cent, settling at 110,416 tonnes.

The figures for 2017 have shown steady growth, particularly during the summer months and the Kingdom’s holiday and tourism seasons, the statement said, noting that QAIA’s monthly passenger record was broken in August, registering a total of 938,427 passengers, the highest ever in the airport’s 34 years.

“2017 as a whole has been an eventful year for Airport International Group… and we look forward to more fruitful results, as we continue to work diligently towards seeing Jordan’s prime gateway assume its rightful place as a regional centre for leisure and business travel, and a frontrunner in the world,” Airport International Group CEO Kjeld Binger was quoted in the statement as saying.

AMMAN — Jordanians on Tuesday marked the 19th anniversary of the passing of His Majesty King Hussein, who died at the age of 63 on February 7, 1999, following a battle with cancer.

Also on Tuesday, Jordanians marked the anniversary of King Abdullah’s assumption of constitutional powers, as he was proclaimed King on the same day.

King Abdullah received several cables from senior officials and officers congratulating him on the assumption anniversary and voicing their support for efforts for the betterment of Jordan, a Royal Court statement said.

King Hussein was born on November 14, 1935, as the eldest son of King Talal and Queen Zein Al Sharaf.

He studied at the Islamic Scientific College and then enrolled at Victoria College in Alexandria. In 1951, he entered Harrow College in England before receiving his military education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, from which he graduated in 1953.

Hussein was proclaimed King of Jordan on August 11, 1952, and a Regency Council was appointed until his formal accession to the Throne on May 2, 1953, when he assumed his constitutional powers after reaching the age of 18, according to the Islamic lunar calendar.

Throughout his reign, King Hussein worked hard to improve his country and raise citizens’ living standards. He also focused on building an economic and industrial infrastructure that advanced the quality of life of the Jordanian people.

During his reign, primary education became mandatory and schools were established across the Kingdom’s cities, villages and rural areas, allowing Jordan to become one of the leading Arab countries in terms of literacy.

King Hussein also focused on improving higher education, with dozens of public and private universities and colleges built under his rule.

He also sought throughout his reign to promote peace in the Middle East.

After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, he was instrumental in drafting UN Security Council Resolution 242, which calls on Israel to withdraw from all Arab lands occupied in the 1967 war, in exchange for peace. The resolution has served as the benchmark for all subsequent peace negotiations.

In 1991, King Hussein played a pivotal role in convening the Madrid peace conference, providing an “umbrella” for Palestinians to negotiate their future as part of a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation.

The 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel was a major step towards achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East.

The late King’s commitment to democracy, civil liberties and human rights has also helped pave the way for Jordan to become a model state in the region.

At the time of his death on February 7, 1999, King Hussein was the longest serving executive head of state in the world.

On the occasion, a seminar was held on Tuesday at the University of Jordan (UJ) titled “Al Hussein and the art of ruling: Personal testimonies”.

Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, UJ President Azmi Mahafzah, former ministers and senior officials attended the seminar.

Tarawneh said: “King Hussein was one of the Arab and international geniuses, and his tremendous achievements live still.”

For his part, former foreign minister Kamel Abu Jaber outlined the life and reign of King Hussein describing him as a “pan-Arab and world leader”.

Former Royal Court chief and multiple-time minister Jawad Anani said: “King Hussein will remain in the memories of Jordanians forever.” 

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania visited a newly built vocational training academy run by the Community Centres Association (CCA) in Hai Nazzal on Tuesday, announcing an increase in financial support for 100 of the most successful local projects implemented by the association. 

With the support of a Royal grant and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, the projects cover various vocational fields including agriculture, raising livestock, handicraft work, sewing, construction and beauty, among others, according to a statement from Her Majesty's office.

Founder of the association, Sari Nasser, and its president, Firyal Saleh, joined Her Majesty as she toured the academy, stopping by courses in session teaching mobile phone repair, graphic design and sewing.

In a meeting with 100 female project owners, hailing from many areas across Jordan, including Pella, Al Hallabat, Al Hashimiya, and Al Dulayl, Her Majesty announced an increase in financial support to help their projects grow.

Her Majesty thanked the association’s team for their unwavering commitment, and said that her support constitutes an investment in human capital, as well as a chance to expand existing sustainable employment opportunities.

The Queen commended the women’s accomplishments and notable progress, pointing to the tangible results she witnessed with each visit she has made to the association in the last 18 years.

“Despite the hardships you have faced and continue to face, you still have managed to contribute to the gradual and progressive growth of your communities,” she said. 

Her Majesty also lauded their perseverance and strong sense of cooperation evident in their projects across the country. 

Queen Rania also congratulated the association on the new building and the potential it holds to better prepare beneficiaries for the job market and help them navigate the complexities of this day and age. 

The new academy aims to provide high-quality accredited courses in areas such as beauty, sewing, graphic design, and mobile phone maintenance.

It also aims to prepare qualified vocational workers to meet the demands of the local market, improve their skills in certain areas of expertise, develop human resources and efficiently employ them in vocational fields to better serve local communities, and encourage the pursuit of vocational work. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday congratulated Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on his reelection over the phone, according to a Royal Court statement.

During the call, the King expressed his best wishes to Anastasiades and the Cypriot people, stressing Jordan's keenness on boosting cooperation with Cyprus to serve the interests of both countries.

AMMAN — Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III on Tuesday renewed the church's allegiance to His Majesty King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Muslim and Christian holy places in Jerusalem. The announcement came on the occasion of the 19th death anniversary of His Majesty King Hussein and His Majesty King Abdullah's assumption of his constitutional powers, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Patriarch added that the allegiance of Jerusalem's Muslims and Christians is a commitment to Sherif Hussein Bin Ali and all the kings of Jordan. He expressed appreciation for King Abdullah's efforts in defending the rights of Christians in Jerusalem, citing the renovation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by a contribution from His Majesty.   

AMMAN — Jordan's foreign policy is based on "deep understanding" of the entire international circumstances, which makes it "moderate, realistic and capable of balancing national and general interests", Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Tuesday.

Safadi made the remarks during a lecture at the Royal Jordanian National Defence College, where he reviewed the Kingdom's foreign policy goals and the means Amman adopts in dealing with regional and international developments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the lecture, attended by students of the defence 15 and war 24 courses, the minister highlighted the Jordanian stance that supports Palestinians in their endeavours to reach a permanent settlement and a just solution to the Palestinian issue that tops the Kingdom's priorities. 

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is working on cutting red tape in the provision of its services to boost citizens' confidence in the institution, according to Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh.

The mayor made the remarks during a talk held on Monday under the title “The future challenges of the Greater Amman Municipality”. 

“GAM is focusing its efforts on developing a digitalisation of all the bureaucratic procedures to simplify and create a closer and easier relations between the citizens and the city,” Shawarbeh said.

He explained that the new regulation introduced on January 1 — which states that all requests for renovating establishments’ licences must be presented in an electronic format — has allowed the renewal of more than 30,000 permissions for Ammani businesses.

“Our aim is to bring transparency and eliminate bureaucracy for our citizens’ convenience,” GAM's mayor said.

Shawarbeh also highlighted the new law for the establishments’ inspections in accordance with GAM’s goals of “transparency and clarity”. 

“We want to build confidence between the employers and the inspectors; we have received many complaints of bad behaviours from the inspectors and we apologise for that,” Shawarbeh said.

Throughout the discussion, Shawarbeh outlined the major challenges the capital is facing and the projects designed to address them in the next three years.

He expressed his concerns regarding the transportation issue in Amman and the efforts the government is exerting to improve the lack of an effective public system, with a focus on the Bus Rapid Transport.