Local

AMMAN — Minister of Social Development Hala Lattouf on Wednesday said strong collaboration should be maintained between the government and civil society organisations working on gender issues.

“We constantly strive to support and empower the civil society and have allocated JD2 million annually for this purpose,” Lattouf said.

The minister’s remarks were made during a one-day workshop on “Strengthening Capacities of Women Organisations” that was organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, in partnership with Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD).

However, the minster was quick to add that “the government wants to ensure that the support for civil organisations is equal and should reach all the institutes that work on promoting human rights and gender equality”.

“We have to focus, in collaboration with the civil society, on some of the main problems in our society such as early marriage, drugs, the high unemployment rate among women, the modest rate of women in the political and economic spheres and the gender gap in the salaries,” Lattouf told the gathering.

The minister pointed out to a number of positive legislative changes related to women that occurred in Jordan, as well as success stories in other fields such as judges, inventors, ministers, engineers among many other professions that increased their presence in the social and political fields.

“These successes could not have been achieved without the noticeable collaboration between the government and civil and grassroots organisations,” Lattouf told the gathering.

Lattouf called on the organisers and participants, most of whom are experts in the gender and civil society movement, to “make use of the workshop and come up with recommendations that the ministry is happy to implement if possible”.

The workshop aimed at encouraging the exchange of knowledge and practices between Jordan and the European and Southern Mediterranean countries on empowerment of women and the promotion of women’s rights through strengthening capacities of women organisations, said ARDD co-founder and CEO Samar Muhareb.

The workshop also aims to ensure dialogue and articulation between various parties of the quadrilogue, as well as emphasising the contribution of women’s civil society organisations and issuing practical recommendations to achieve gender equality in the European and Southern Mediterranean regions, Muhareb told the gathering

“Working for the empowerment of women in Jordan is one of the core pillars of ARDD’s mission. So, building the capacities of women-led organisations is essential,” Muhareb added.

While Jordanian civil society can do a lot in this regard, Muhareb continued, support is also needed from “government institutions and the international community, like the Council of Europe. This is why we must engage in dialogue and exchange ideas on achieving progress together.”

President of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe Jean-Marie Heydt added during the opening session that “it remains essential to listen to the needs of the beneficiaries and to learn from their experiences and benefit from the expertise of those who are working in the field in contact with women and women organisations”.

It is then, with a particular attention to the context and needs of beneficiaries, from global challenges to geographical specificities, related to “political and strategic recommendations, that the North-South Centre envisages its action”, Heydt maintained.

Senator Sawsan Majali also addressed the gathering saying that “the civil society is not united and most of the organisations work individually rather than collaborating on important issues. All their work revolves around funding”.

Another obstacle, according to Majali, is that the “strategies are drafted at all levels, including women, but we fail in applying them”.

That is why it is important for civil society to collaborate among each other and with the government on certain topics to ensure success, she added.

EU Ambassador to Jordan Andrea Matteo Fontana spoke at a panel on “Promoting Participatory and Transversal Approach: The Jordanian Case” saying that women’s organisations shoulder a vital role in achieving inclusive sustainable development.

“They are also one of the key building blocks necessary to ensure empowering women and strengthening their voice and participation at all levels of society to eventually enhance and protect their rights,” Fontana told the gathering.

Fontana added that the EU realises the challenges facing women in Jordan, specifically when “we see the low participation rates in different key spheres of life, including labour market, decision-making process, as well as political and public participation”.

Accordingly, support to women and gender equality has been a prominent feature of the EU Support Programme in Jordan, according to Fontana.

He pointed to one of many civil society programmes being supported by the EU under the title “Support to Civil Society in Jordan” that aims at strengthening democracy in Jordan through increased participation of citizens in political life and through increased independence, quality, credibility of media and CSOs.

“As part of this project, around 60 per cent of total civil society grantees have implemented interventions related to women empowerment in different areas of Jordan, while around 25 per cent have implemented interventions around political, social, cultural and human rights,” according to Fontana.

Meanwhile, Jerash Deputy Wafa Bani Mustafa said that “the government is still not serious about including women in decision-making positions despite the tireless work of the civil society in this regard”.

“We want our government to really believe in gender equality and not to appoint women in few decision-making positions. Women should be present in all spheres of life in equal roles as men,” Bani Mustafa stressed.

The event was also supported by the Jordanian National Commission for Women and financed by the government of Portugal.

AMMAN — Seven social media users and journalists were held in detention on Wednesday after allegedly publishing a corruption accusation against a senior official, a senior official source said.

Amman Prosecutor Abdullah Abul Ghanam decided to detain the seven after the senior official filed a complaint against them that they "were publishing false accusations against him on social media", the senior official source told The Jordan Times.

"The seven were detained because they failed to show up on time for questioning when they were summoned by Abul Ghanam" the official source said.

The source added that no charges have been levelled against the seven yet and "the case is in no way against freedom of the press".

"It is just a case against individuals who used social media to spread false, slanderous and defaming information," the senior official source added.

The seven individuals are expected to be questioned by Abul Ghanam on Thursday, the source added.

Jordan Press Association President Rakan Saaydeh was unavailable to comment on the incident Wednesday night.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday attended the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD) annual ceremony, where announcements were made for plans to set up more digital gaming labs in the country and launch new cycles of projects to support and reward the talented youth and innovators.

His Majesty also toured an exhibition on the sidelines of the ceremony that displayed several success stories and projects benefiting and supported by KAFD in fields of research, innovation, virtual reality, heritage, environment, development and community services, among others.

Addressing the attendees at the ceremony in the presence of Royal family members and senior officials and experts from various sectors, Imad Fakhoury, chairman of KAFD’s board of trustees, said KAFD is currently working on establishing new digital gaming labs in Zarqa, two others in Muta University in Karak and another at Karak Innovation Centre following the success witnessed at gaming labs already established in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa and Maan.

Fakhoury added that KAFD will also launch several projects in 2018 including the fifth edition of the King Abdullah II Award for Youth Innovation and Achievement and a new cycle of a project to support talented Jordanians. In addition, a mobile digital gaming lab will be launched to reach all areas across the country next year.

Highlighting the role KAFD plays to ensure the effective participation of the Jordanian youth upon directives by His Majesty, Fakhoury said KAFD has created around 65,000 job opportunities across Jordan through its various projects and initiatives.

The number is expected to rise to 100,000 in 2018, Fakhoury added.

This year, the fund has supported nine projects that address the needs of local communities including one to combat extremism on the web and another providing equipment for the blind.

He added that Oasis500, a startup incubator, has invested JD4.1 million in 122 fledgling businesses in the field of ICT and creative industries, adding that these startups have attracted investments totalling JD33.6 million and created more than 600 jobs.

He also referred to Forus.jo portal, which includes a section listing all microfinance institutions and opportunities for the benefit of young Jordanians.

Referring to KAFD-affiliated All Jordan Youth Commission, he said the entity has created some 26,700 opportunities for young Jordanians through 516 activities it held this year.

Fakhoury also highlighted the fund’s projects to develop the eastern shores of the Dead Sea through several projects to support the tourism sector.

During the celebration, a documentary was screened highlighting several success stories of young Jordanians and projects they implemented in fields of technology, volunteerism, industry, food, community service and others.

KAFD was established by a Royal Decree in 2001 as an NGO to support the local community by driving human and infrastructure development.

The fund works to develop key sectors in Jordan and improve local standards of living for all segments of the community through initiatives targeting individuals as well as the public, private and civil society sectors, according to its website.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday received a telephone call from Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas Political Bureau, who acquainted the King with the recently signed Palestinian reconciliation accord.

 The King congratulated Haniyeh on signing the reconciliation agreement and reiterated Jordan’s full support for the Palestinians, according to a Royal Court statement.

 His Majesty also stressed the importance of unifying efforts in defence of “our rights in Jerusalem and in supporting the Palestinian issue”.

 “This is a priority for us in Jordan and should remain so for all Arab and Muslim countries in order to take a unified stance”, King Abdullah said.

 Haniyeh outlined the difficult conditions the region is going through, stressing that “Palestine is Palestine and Jordan is Jordan, and our security is one.”

 The Hamas leader commended His Majesty’s historic role in protecting Al Aqsa Mosque and Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

He said Hamas is serious about moving forward in unifying Palestinian factions, in a manner that fulfils the Palestinians’ hopes and aspirations.

AMMAN — A group of leading young people presented to HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Wednesday models of their creative projects hosted by FikrTech "an innovation and technology collective for youth by youth", organised by the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) at the Ras Al Ain Hangar.

The initiative, the first of its kind by CPF, is open for all youth free of charge from October 25, till October 29, from 10am-9pm, and interested individuals can register via Sajilni.com. 

It aims to reach out to youth through workshops in different fields of technology.  There will be 20 speakers and influencers to talk about their experience in the creative technology field, Nour Abu Al Ragheb, acting CEO of the foundation, said.  

Abu Al Ragheb noted that CPF is looking forward to launching similar initiatives in the southern and northern regions of Jordan, adding that the foundation seeks to give opportunities to all youth in the Kingdom to showcase their creativity and share their ideas with the world. 

The foundation’s executive stressed that CPF targets for the purposes of the initiative all private, governmental and official institutions, including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. They are willing to take in any ideas as long as it fits their strategy and criteria, and they provide youth with the equipments to unleash their innovative minds.

Abdulrahman Asfour, a graphic design graduate, was one of the speakers at the opening event. He outlined his Auto-Art, a “one-of-a-kind project” in which he uses scrap materials from bikes, cars and aircrafts turning them into furniture and custom pieces.

His project started at his home garage and now he has his own workspace. The young man worked with King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), and was sponsored by Red Bull and Harley Davidson.

There are 10 workshops going on for four days, where other CPF initiatives showcased their achievements and plan, including NASA, FabLab and Masar.
CPF has been sending students to intern at NASA in Silicon Valley, California, since 2014 and to the NASA interns booth/workshop at FikrTech, said Muhy Eddin Za’ter, who is currently studying electrical engineering. He explained what a NASA intern does during his work at the agency and the process of application and the impact of the experience on the trainees.

Noor Al Khatib of FabLab, an electrical engineering student, told The Jordan Times about the project, which is basically a laboratory that assembles rapid prototypes ready to be displayed and used immediately for any technology project. The laboratory offers all facilities and materials for students and youth interested to work there. FabLab will be launching in the first quarter of 2018, Khatib said.  

Another electrical engineering student, Hamza Issa, who was at Masar workshop, explaining about the initiative team’s experience in building Jordan’s miniature satellite (JY1-SAT) project, whose design was suggested by former NASA Jordanian interns. He added that the CubeSat Satellite which is the first of its kind in Jordan carries the name JY1-SAT to commemorate His Majesty the Late King Hussein, for his radio call was JY1. The Crown Prince recorded an audio message that will be later uploaded to the satellite’s memory and broadcast in space.

AMMAN — Local revenues in the first nine months of 2017 increased by JD149.1 million to JD4.97 billion, compared with JD4.82 billion during the same period of 2016, the Finance Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The ministry attributed the increase to a raise in non-tax revenues by JD123 million and tax revenues by JD26 million, according to a ministry statement.

Foreign grants to the Kingdom in the January-September period totalled JD164.8 million, compared with JD303.6 million in the first period of 2016, marking a decline of JD138.8 million or 45.7 per cent.

According to the ministry's data, expenditure in the first three quarters of 2017 totalled JD5.86 billion, compared with JD5.64 billion during the same period of 2016, marking an increase of JD221.6 million that equals 3.9 per cent, reflecting “normal growth of expenditure”.

As for the financial deficit in the state budget, a post-grant deficit of JD726.6 million was registered in the first nine months of 2017, compared with JD515.3 million during the same period of 2016.

Pre-grant deficit stood at JD891.4 million in 2017's first three quarters, compared with JD818.9 million during the same period of 2016, according to the statement that expected most grants listed in the budget to be delivered by December. 

Based on developments in the domestic and foreign debts, the public debt until the end of this year's September totalled JD26.89 billion that equals 94.8 per cent of the gross domestic product estimated by the end of the first nine months of this year, compared with JD26.09 billion at the end of 2016, which equalled 95.1 per cent of GDP. 

The statement noted that the debts of the National Electric Power Company and Water Authority of Jordan stood at JD6.7 billion by September 30.

The ministry expected the debt-to-GDP ratio to maintain at the same level throughout this year.

AMMAN — Jordan on Wednesday welcomed a $500 billion project by Saudi Arabia to develop a business and industrial zone linked with Jordan and Egypt.

“The project, which will connect Asia to Africa by creating a special zone stretching from Saudi Arabia’s borders to Jordan and Egypt, will strengthen the economies of the three countries, enhance trade and open new markets for their exports,” a government official told The Jordan Times on Wednesday.

Jordan, which enjoys political stability and security, is capable of attracting investments and removing obstacles facing investors. Jordan is also home to highly qualified human resources in different areas and can share its expertise in the creation of such mega project that helps strengthen inter-Arab trade ties, the official said.

Saudi Arabia’s announcement came after a high-level coordination meeting where a series of economic agreements was signed between Jordan and Saudi Arabia, following a visit by King Salman of Saudi Arabia to Jordan in March which resulted in the establishment of a Jordanian-Saudi fund that would be handling up to $3 billion in investments, the official added.

The official said that Jordan is aware that the economic relationship with Saudi Arabia is turning into an investment-based formula built on Saudi Arabia’s economic vision for 2030, adding that this formula is strategic, vital and economically feasible in the long-run for the two countries.

The 26,500 sq.km zone, known as NEOM, to be powered entirely by renewable energy, will focus on industries including energy and water, biotechnology, food, advanced manufacturing and entertainment, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said, according to Reuters.

Adjacent to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba and near maritime trade routes that use the Suez Canal, the zone will serve as a gateway to the proposed King Salman Bridge, which will link Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the news agency cited a statement by the Public Investment
Fund as reading.

Saudi Arabia’s border with Jordan touches the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, near the Israeli city of Eilat. It also sits opposite to Egypt, across the Straits of Tiran.

“NEOM is situated on one of the world’s most prominent economic arteries ... Its strategic location will also facilitate the zone’s rapid emergence as a global hub that connects Asia, Europe and Africa,” PIF said according to Reuters.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Wednesday attended the signing ceremony to establish the Princess Basma Hospital in Irbid at a cost of JD57.6 million to be administrated by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).

The agreement was signed by Public Works and Housing Minister Sami Halaseh and representatives of the consortium of Alawi Tunisi establishment and the Arabian International Construction and Contracting Company, owned by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The hospital project, which was fully secured by a Saudi grant, will expand over an area of 74,000 square metres, with a capacity of 500 beds and a parking lot. It will provide all required medical specialisations, Petra added.

At the ceremony, Mulki listened to a briefing by Halaseh and Health Minister Mahmoud Sheyyab, who described the project which will be executed according to the best international standards in the electro mechanic and medical systems, according to Petra.

Halaseh said that work is expected to commence in mid-November and to last three years. 

It will later on be inaugurated under the patronage of the premier. 

Halaseh noted that the SFD followed up on all tender phases, including floating the tender and referring it to the consortium, and will now follow up on the implementation phases.

For his part, Sheyyab stressed that the new hospital will constitute a “qualitative addition” that will contribute to enhancing medical services presented to residents of Irbid, a city known for its high population density. 

Mulki highlighted the importance of having a clear plan for the implementation period with regards to establishment, sustainability and employment purposes. 

AMMAN — Tourism Minister Lina Annab on Wednesday announced that the first regional conference on “Tourism in the Middle East and North Africa [MENA]: Competitiveness for Sustainable Growth”, will be held on November 13 and 14 at the Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel.

The conference, held under the patronage of the Prime Minister Hani Mulki, is part of the activities of the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism to reflect the Global Sustainable Development Goals 2030, a statement from the organisers said.

During the press conference, attended by Hazem Neimat, Amman’s deputy mayor, and other officials, Annab said that the two-day conference, will include the signing of the “Private Sector Commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism — within the framework of the corporate social responsibility” agreement, between the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and seven global companies, in addition to Jordanian national tourism associations.

The minister also added that the conference aims at highlighting the importance of adopting joint cooperation between the concerned parties to make change through promoting the values of social responsibility between stakeholders and the concerned institutions in urban development.

The conference will provide an opportunity to raise awareness and foster the exchange of expertise on the impact of sustainable tourism development in urban areas and tourist destinations, the statement added.

Neimat said that Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is contributing to the capital’s tourism through providing the support and infrastructure such as docks, road networks and a public transportation system.

He added that GAM is also providing support through developing large projects, which add value to the tourism industry, like parks, museums, exhibitions, among others.

The conference will be held in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, GAM and with the technical support of the WTO. It is organised and supported by the Jordanian Tourism Board and Lawrence and Husseini Consulting, according to the statement.

AMMAN — The Jordan Elevator Road Show, launched on Wednesday at King Hussein Business Park, saw the presentations of nine young Jordanian entrepreneurs competing to gain access to exclusive mentorships and a chance to pitch their start-ups to investors next year. 

“Those who disrupt the classical business model are some of the most successful start-ups,” said Abdulmalek Al Jaber, CEO of Arabreneur, during his opening speech. 

The event was part of the EU-funded Next Society initiative that fosters start-up growth throughout the MENA region and was locally collaborated with the Information & Communications Technology Association of Jordan (int@j) and Arabreneur. 

“We don’t have a shortage of great minds in Jordan. If challenged, coached and mentored correctly, wonders can come out of these minds,” said Umniyah’s Corporate Affairs and HR Manager Sami Jarrar. 

The young entrepreneurs, who were preselected through an application process, were all under the age of 30 and came from various fields, including real estate, healthcare and ICT, among others. 

Having only few minutes to pitch their start-up’s prototype to the jury, the young entrepreneurs had to explain how they have innovatively solving an issue in their community.

“I didn’t want to be that person trying to organise an event using 60 different WhatsApp groups, begging people to respond,” said 30-year-old CEO Rola Fayyad, who presented Friendture, a simplified app that allows users to find and plan group activities, while splitting costs and maintaining privacy. 

After each presentation, the jury asked further questions, challenged the entrepreneur on some of his or her key ideas, and then provided feedback on how to better their business model. 

“We’re asked some good questions, by people who’ve seen and spoken to thousands of start-ups, and I might not have the right answer each time, but by coming to these events and by practising my pitch, I can only get better at it,” said presenter Mohammad Majdalawi, founder of AqarCircle, an online platform for property search.   

The entire event revolved around the theme of fostering innovation, leadership and the transfer of knowledge in Jordan, but 21-year-old Majdalawi said the country can do more for them.

“We need a physical space where knowledge can be distributed. We need a hub where all start-ups can gather together and exchange ideas. Learning from each other is how we can succeed. The Business Park is a very nice place, but it is very expensive. I’m just in the beginning of my business right now, I can’t afford to pay JD10,000 per year for an office.” 

Paying income tax was another concern for some of the young entrepreneurs. 

“Start-ups from day one, have to register as a company, they have to pay taxes, and get permits. I’ve barely raised the money to pay my employees, and now I have to pay taxes.  Give us a one-year break and see how the country will change,” said Friendture founder Fayyad.