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AMMAN — A total of 2,323 people visited the shrine of the Muath Bin Jabal (Prophet Mohammad’s companion) in northern Shouneh last month, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Thursday. 

Additionally, 3,308 Arab and Muslim tourists visited the tombs of Prophet Mohammad’s companions in the Northern Jordan Valley. The shrine of Amer Bin Abi Waqqas witnessed 425 visits and Sharhabeel Bin Hasna’s shrine 560 visits.

AMMAN — Education Minister Omar Razzaz and his French counterpart Michel Blanquer discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in various fields especially in education, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Thursday.

Razzaz met with his Blanquer on the sidelines of the 39th session of the General Conference of UNESCO, which is currently held in Paris. He also presented Jordan’s efforts aimed at developing education, and the challenges facing Jordan’s education reform and plans for development in light of hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees.

The French minister expressed his admiration for Jordan’s progress in the field of education, and he reiterated his country’s commitment to provide the necessary support to Jordan to meet the challenges from the repercussions of the Syrian crisis. Razzaz also met with the Director General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, he expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the organisation and Bokova.

AMMAN — The Ministry of Education has announced the electronic publication of the previous secondary school books (2016 editions and earlier) for all the subjects of academic and vocational branches on its website, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Thursday. 

The ministry provided these books in PDF format, for students who failed to pass, to those who wish to take the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (Tawjihi).

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Wednesday held talks in Astana that focused on enhancing relations between the two countries at all levels and the latest developments in the Middle East.

At the beginning of the talks, held at the presidential palace, His Majesty accepted the Nazarbayev International Prize for Contributions to Nuclear Disarmament and Security from the Kazakh president, according to a Royal Court statement. 

The King is the first laureate of the prize, which was granted to him as a gesture of appreciation for his continuous efforts and endeavours to achieve regional and international security and stability. 

His Majesty said he is pleased to visit Kazakhstan and to be amongst brothers and friends, thanking the Kazakh president for the award and accepting it on behalf of all Jordanians.

Commenting on President Nazarbayev’s remarks that the two countries are marking almost 25 years of relations, the King said the relationship is a generational one, citing the special friendship between the Kazakh president and His Majesty the late King Hussein.

The King also praised Kazakhstan’s role in international affairs, in fields such as nuclear disarmament, interfaith dialogue and conflict resolution.

If it were not for Kazakhstan’s leadership, His Majesty said, the world would be in a much more difficult place.

The King also thanked Kazakhstan for standing by Jordan in difficult times.

In his press remarks, King Abdullah said the recognition stands both for hope, and for responsibility. “Hope that humanity can avert the terrible destruction of nuclear war; and that we can achieve the lasting security of global peace and prosperity. But also, responsibility to act decisively and boldly; and to come together, all of us, to create the conditions for peace,” he said (see full text of speech).  

For his part, Nazarbayev expressed his country’s appreciation for the Jordanian efforts seeking to achieve security and stability in the region and the world.

The president welcomed His Majesty’s visit, which came shortly before both countries’ mark of establishing ties.

He also referred to the prosperous partnership and friendship over these years and the several meetings he had with King Abdullah recently, in addition to mutual support each country offered to the other during international functions.

Nazarbayev noted that bilateral relations have improved in several sectors, such as agriculture and defence industries, underlining the pivotal role the Kingdom plays, not only in the region, but also at the global level.

The Kazakh leader also highlighted the personal role of His Majesty in settling various conflicts, a role that is a continuation of His Majesty the late King Hussein.

Nazarbayev noted that his country hosts an annual conference on nuclear disarmament, and that he launched a prize to leaders who play a distinguished role in the field.

He said that selecting His Majesty as the first figure to receive the prize reflects the King’s role in maintaining peace in the region.

“In view of our state’s role, I established a special prize for those who are notable for the fight against nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan has decided to award you with the first prize, and I signed the respective decree,” Nazarbayev was quoted as saying by the Kazakh official news agency.

“It is the recognition of your services and we hope that you, under the conditions of war in Syria [and] Iraq, will continue to play a peacekeeping role that brings nations together,” the president added.

Regarding the Astana process on Syria, he said: “Your country also plays a big role. For this reason, the special commission awarded this prize to you. It is a great honour for me to present it”.

Also on Wednesday, King Abdullah met with Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev for talks on means to bolster economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

They reviewed investment opportunities provided by the Kingdom in various sectors, as well as cooperation between Jordan and Kazakhstan in the agricultural, energy, renewable energy, ICT, defence industries, human resources development as well as pharmaceutical industries fields.

His Majesty also met with President of the Kazakh Senate Kasim Zhomart Tokaev over cooperation between the two countries in the legislative field.

King Abdullah and Tokaev highlighted the importance of the Astana talks, whose new edition will also be hosted by Kazakhstan, to arrive at a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

The talks also focused on the latest developments in the Middle East, as well as regional and international efforts to counter terrorism within a holistic approach.

King Abdullah, prior to concluding his official working visit to Kazakhstan and returning to the Kingdom, visited the Astana Expo 2017, where he toured the pavilion of Kazakhstan that features various models of future energy resources, as well as the future plan of Astana until 2050.

The Monarch was briefed on projects being implemented by the public and private sectors in Kazakhstan in the solar and wind energy fields, amounting to 28 in total.

Around 580,000 people visited the Jordanian pavilion at the exhibition, which was held between June 10 and September with the participation of 115 countries and 22 international organisations, according to officials. 

Pavilion visitors had a firsthand look to get acquainted with investment opportunities in the Jordanian economy in general, and in the energy sector in particular.

AMMAN — Commercial exchange between Jordan and Iraq through Turaibil border is improving, but custom tax imposed by the Iraqi government and limitations for entry are challenges to further development, said Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) President Senator Ziad Homsi. 

The commercial exchange on the border reached its peak since the reopening of the Karameh crossing with the issuance of 430 certificates of origin, proving that the exported products are made in Jordan, the senator said.

The figures The Jordan Times obtained from Karameh customs checkpoint showed that 3845 trucks entered and exited the border since its opening from August 30 to October 27. 

Among 2033 trucks exited the checkpoint towards the Iraqi border, 1581 of which were Jordanian trucks, while rest were from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 

Truck Owners Association President Mohammad Dawod said that Jordanian-produced and imported steel is one of the most exported items to Iraq. 

Dawod said that before the border closure in 2012, about 300 Jordanian Trucks crossed the Iraqi side every day, but security concerns prompted investors to be more cautious with their investments. 

Homsi expressed his hopes to return to the previous commercial state, when Jordanian exports to Iraq stood at 20 per cent of the national exports, but the 30 per cent tax imposed by the Iraqi government on imports and the reloading of Jordanian cargo onto Iraqi trucks at the border are the main challenges. 

Last month, the Iraqi prime minister made promises to exempt some Jordanian products from customs, “we are optimistic” Homsi said.

Since Iraq bans the entry of any  foreign truck in its territory, the cargo is exchanged at the border. “Some products would get affected through this process, so they should facilitate the exchange of containers rather than the products,” Homsi added. 

Exports to Iraq peaked at JD1.247 million by the end of 2013. 

Meanwhile, the Iraqi embassy’s commercial attaché Abdel Ameer Aziz noted that security concerns are still relevant and continue bounding people from travelling by land.  

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Wednesday sentenced eight suspects convicted of promoting Daesh ideologies with sentences ranging from 10 years of jail time to hard labour and acquittal.

The verdict included a sentence for a fugitive who was charged in absentia with a 10-year jail term, while his accomplice was sentenced to three years of hard labour, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Also on Wednesday, SSC issued a four-year term with hard labour sentence against a suspect who was convicted of joining a terrorist organisation in a neighbouring country. 

The defence lawyer urged the court to consider reducing the term, especially since the suspect is a fourth-year university student.

Also on Wednesday, the SSC sentenced five defendants to three to five years jail terms with hard labour, Petra reported.

They were sentenced for promoting Daesh ideologies, and due to lack of evidence, the court announced that they were not responsible for committing terrorist acts or the kidnapping and killing of foreign tourists at the Roman Theatre.

The court also sentenced on Wednesday 11 defendants in three narcotic cases with a maximum sentence of 15 years of hard labour, and a JD20,000 fine. 

The court condemned the defendants with two charges of importing narcotic substances with the purpose of trafficking, and possessing Captagon pills and hashish, also with the purpose of trafficking.

AMMAN  — British Ambassador Edward Oakden on Monday visited Irbid to review a number of UK-funded projects that are aimed at empowering local young people as well as supporting communities hosting large numbers of refugees, according to an embassy statement .

Oakden visited Mercy Corps’ leadership and community development programme in the city, which seeks to help local communities hosting Syrian refugees to reduce tensions by building ways to resolve conflict and “act as a force for good” in their local area. 

The project contributed to creating safe spaces for local residents, including improvements to schools, the statement said.

The ambassador visited Edoun Primary School, where he saw how the school benefitted from new classrooms funded by the UK. He took part in a story-telling session of a book, which is part of Mercy Corps’ nationwide programme to build bridges between communities and strengthen social cohesion.

Oakden also held a Q&A session with local community leaders, hearing how they benefitted from Mercy Corps’ training in conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving, the statement continued.

The ambassador then visited the Emergency Service and Social Resilience Project in Irbid, to which the UK has contributed more than $27 million.

The project, which the UK has supported since 2013 in partnership with the World Bank and the governments of Canada, Switzerland and Denmark, has supported spending at a municipal level on roads, solid waste management and parks.

Following meetings with the governor and mayor of Irbid, the ambassador said: “I’m encouraged today to have witnessed the real, practical impact of British support to local communities in Jordan. We recognise the pressure on many Jordanian communities, including additional schools which are hosting large refugee populations.”

“The funding we’ve provided for essential infrastructures including additional schools is helping to relieve this pressure, but we’re also investing in Jordan’s long-term future by empowering young people all over the Kingdom to be a positive influence in their local communities,” he added.

AMMAN — The Ministry of Environment has referred 184 facilities to the general prosecutor for breaches of environmental regulations over the past six months, a government official said on Wednesday.

During October alone, the ministry referred 30 industries for legal action, according to ministry’s assistant secretary general and spokesperson, Isa Shboul, who noted that the ministry has also closed down several industries last month.

“The ministry inspected 59 industrial, vocational, service and agricultural facilities in October and shut down 10 industries for failing to adhere to the environment protection law despite having been granted the legal grace period,” Shboul told The Jordan Times over the phone.

The violations entailed causing air and noise pollution, operating without a licence and improper disposal of waste, among other infringements.

“Almost half of the facilities which were referred to the general prosecutor were industries located in Sahab, located southeast of the capital,” he noted.

With a population of some 110,000 people, Sahab is home to more than 400 factories, in addition to 40 workshops that grind and shred scrap plastic located in residential areas.

Shboul said that authorities have been closely monitoring industries since the new Environmental Protection Law went into force in April, granting the ministry stronger jurisdiction over industries.

The new law maximises governmental control over the Kingdom’s natural resources, with new articles added to the bill to keep up with the latest developments in the sector, given that the first environmental protection law was issued over a decade ago, according to the ministry.

The new law stipulates stricter penalties against polluters and abusers of the environment and links the amount of fines to the impact of the violation, according to the ministry.

The law contains articles on electronic, chemical, hazardous and prohibited waste; management of mineral oils; as well as ozone-depleting materials. It also encourages green investments, intensifies monitoring of industries and enhances the protection of natural resources, including water resources and forests

AMMAN — Jordan this year witnessed an increase in the number of overnight religious tourists from countries targeted by promotion efforts, an official said on Wednesday.

Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) Director Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat told The Jordan Times that visitors from Malaysia have increased by 15 per cent, and by 60 per cent from Indonesia, while the number of Turkish tourists remained the same as last year.

Arabyiat said that Jordan has around 35 Islamic sites and shrines and 34 Christian holy sites that were mentioned in the Old and the New Testament.

JTB has established a special unit for promoting both Islamic and Biblical sites in the Kingdom.

The board has also hosted numerous priests from Russia, Poland, Brazil, Nigeria and the Philippines, in addition to religious leaders from the Gulf countries and Europe, according to Arabiyat.

Additionally, JTB delegations have visited many countries including Spain and the US to promote biblical sites in the Kingdom.

“On top of that, we have planned events for New Year’s Eve and Christmas at the Baptism Site, Madaba, Fuheis and Amman to attract more visitors” said the director.

Regarding low numbers of visitors to the Baptism Site on the Jordanian side in comparison to the to Israeli side, Arabyiat attributed the low airfare to Israel, which is 90 per cent lower than to Jordan.

To increase the numbers, JTB has cooperated with the Royal Jordanian Airlines to lower the prices by subsidising 20 seats with the certain condition of staying more than four days, said Arabiyat.

He noted a plan to promote the religious sites on social media, in addition to campaigns that target South American countries.

JTB has also implemented a religious promotional campaign in the Vatican through bus and train ads that depict the visit of the Pope to the Baptism Site.

The number of Italian visitors has increased by 43 per cent this year, said that director, adding that in 2016 the number was 12, 000, while this year, it has reached around 17,000.

Arabyiat concluded that JTB’s priority is promoting Jordan’s religious tourism sites for both Muslims and Christians. 

AMMAN — The UAE Federal National Council (FNC), the consultative council and the UAE parliamentary body, in cooperation with the Emirates Red Crescent, organised a field visit for a delegation of members from the European Parliament (MEPs) of the "EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group" to the UAE-Jordanian Mrajeeb Al Fhood camp for Syrian refugees, according to a FNC statement.

Funded by the UAE and opened in April 2013, the camp currently provides high-quality healthcare, shelter and education to 9,700 Syrian refugees, the statement said.

The trip drew the participation of members of the EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group, including Ryszard Czarnecki, vice president of the European Parliament and MEPs Sorin Moisă, Gilles Pargneaux, Isabella De Monte and Sofia Ribeiro and Accredited Assistant José Diogo Piano Nunes dos Santos.

Members of the FNC, Jordanian officials and the camp’s management team from Emirates Red Crescent also participated in the trip. The visit to the camp provided the delegation with a "unique opportunity" to experience the UAE’s humanitarian work first-hand, the statement said.