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AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday sent a greeting cable to German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulating her on her reelection for a fourth term, after her party won the parliamentary elections on Sunday, according to a Royal Court statement.

In the cable, His Majesty stressed Jordan's eagerness to strengthen relations and strategic partnership with Germany in various fields, and to work together to achieve world peace. His Majesty wished the German chancellor success and the people of Germany progress and prosperity. 

AMMAN — The Saudi embassy in Amman on Sunday held a ceremony marking the 87th anniversary of the national day of Saudi Arabia that was attended by several princes, ministers, senior Jordanian officials as well as heads of the diplomatic corps, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Saudi-Jordanian relations are based on an active participation of both sides in all areas of development and mutual respect based on the spirit of brotherhood and sense of belonging, said Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Prince Khaled Bin Faisal Bin Turki Al Saud.

He affirmed Saudi Arabia's continued support for Jordan and expressed appreciation of the Kingdom's leading positions in regional and international issues, in which His Majesty King Abdullah demonstrated a firm stance towards humanity and peace. 

AMMAN — Ten thousand solar water heaters were installed under a programme for homes implemented by the Jordan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund in various governorates.

The Executive Director of the Fund Rasmi Hamzeh on Monday said that the fund seeks to raise the number of households benefiting from the programme from 14 per cent to 25 per cent by 2020 nationwide.

To increase the number of solar heaters, he added that the fund plans to provide 50 per cent of the heater’s price in the form of a loan to the beneficiary and a discount of around JD175 compared to market prices, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

He described the solar heater programme, which launched three years ago, as “one of the most important” energy conservation programmes implemented by the fund.

AMMAN — A joint committee under the Agadir Agreement, which includes Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco, has called for effective implementation of the memorandum of understanding for mutual recognition of certificates of conformity as of the beginning of next year, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The call came during a meeting recently held in Casablanca that saw the participation of senior officials from member states, according to a statement issued by the technical committee of the agreement on Monday.

The memorandum seeks to reduce the obstacles exporters may face in terms of specification and examination requirements, as well as reducing formal and legal procedures.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), on Monday visited the 81 Parachute Battalion/ Prince Hussein Bin Abdullah II Brigade – Royal Thunderbolts 28, where he met with senior JAF officers.

in the meeting attended by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, His Majesty expressed his pride in JAF personnel, and highlighted the important role of JAF and security apparatuses in the society and the development of Jordan, according to a Royal Court statement.

The Supreme Commander stressed that the Kingdom is capable of safeguarding its borders with Syria, referring, in this regard, to the ceasefire agreement that was reached between Jordan, the US and Russia.

As for the economic situation in Jordan, the King stressed the need for the government to adopt measures that protect the medium- and low-income segments, and work on improving the economic conditions until citizens can feel them. 

His Majesty called for directing subsidies to citizens, in light of having millions of foreign residents in the Kingdom, stressing that protecting Jordanians is the foremost priority.

King Abdullah said that the Income Tax Law should address tax evasion. 

His Majesty stressed that economic crises facing the Kingdom are rooted in regional turbulence witnessed over the past years.

He said that interruption in the Egyptian gas supply, crises in neighbouring countries that led to a 20 per cent population growth, lack of proportionate support by the international community and the border closure with main commercial partners have had the biggest impact on the Kingdom's economy.

The world has not offered enough, he said, noting that refugees are draining a quarter of the Kingdom's annual budget, adding that there is no other country that spends a quarter of its budget on refugees like Jordan does.

The King went over the main issues that he discussed with heads of state and delegations during his visit to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly's 72nd session, the top of which were the Palestinian issue and regional crises.

In this regard, His Majesty stressed that Jordan's policy in dealing with these crises has been applauded internationally, expressing his optimism in US President Donald Trump's commitment to pushing forward the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

The Supreme Commander also noted that the Princess Salma military housing in Zarqa is part of a comprehensive plan to establish military housing across the Kingdom, expressing appreciation to the UAE's role in this regard
(see separate story).

The King and the top brass also discussed issues of concern to JAF, especially those related to its development in terms of armament, training and rehabilitation. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, in the presence of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, inaugurated on Monday the second and third phases of the Princess Salma housing project in Zarqa, according to a Royal Court statement.

The opening of this housing project comes as an implementation of the directives of His Majesty to provide comfort, stability and a decent life for the members of the Arab Army, the statement said, adding that the King inspected a number of apartments to check on the quality of the product. 

The three-phase project consists of 470 units in the form of villas and apartments of various sizes “designed according to the latest engineering standards”, with the blueprints and designs  prepared by the directorate, in cooperation with a specialised company.

The first stage, which was opened several years ago, included 170 housing units, while the second phase includes 155 homes, and the third phase to involve145 units.

The location of the career residence is close to the main road ports and public services and camps of the armed forces.

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Bashabsheh, head of the military’s works and housing operations, said in a speech at the opening ceremony that a large number of houses have been built for servicemen across all Jordan’s governorates. 

These projects have significantly reduced the financial burdens on beneficiaries, the general said, along with their travel expenses, especially for residents of remote cities and villages who have relocated to the new sites.

He stressed that the residential units have distributed among officers in line with transparent criteria, taking into consideration the applicant’s rank, duration of service, size of family, and place of residence in terms of distance from the place of work.

Bashabsheh pointed out to a decision to increase the value of the housing loans provided by the military housing funds for army personnel, underlining in this regard His Majesty’s makruma (benefaction) to support these funds, which have so far benefited more than 11,000 officers and 80,000 non-commissioned officers of the Armed Forces and security bodies.

The opening was attended by a number of officials and senior officers in addition to the beneficiaries of the project including officers, non-commissioned officers and members of the armed forces.

AMMAN — The EU has provided Jordan with a financial assistance of 200 million euros as a soft loan in the form of macro financial assistance, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury announced on Monday.

Finance Minister Omar Malhas, Central Bank of Jordan Governor Ziad Fariz and EU Commissioner of Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moscovici signed the related memorandum of understanding and soft loan agreement, Fakhoury said in a ministry statement.

The financial assistance comes in fulfilment of the EU’s pledges made at the Supporting Syria and the Region conference that was held in London last year, the minister noted.

Fakhoury said that the sum would be transferred to the Treasury in two halves, the first of which is due before the end of 2017, and the other next year.

The funds will be used to cover the financing gap through providing direct support to the Treasury within the EU's tool for financial cooperation at the macro level, he added.

The due date for repaying the loan can reach up to 17 years, the minister noted, adding that such loans can contribute to lowering interest rates of internal and external lending, increasing grace periods and extending the repaying time, a matter that helps in restructuring the public debt in line with the national economic and financial reform programme.

In 2015, Jordan received the first soft loan of macro financial assistance that amounted to 180 million euros, and was disbursed in two instalments of 80 and 100 million euros, the statement noted. 

AMMAN — The House of Representatives on Monday celebrated the official handover of tablet computers to the deputies, under the framework of the first component of the European Union (EU) funded project for the support of Jordanian democratic institutions and their development. 

The ceremony was inaugurated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Atef Tarawneh, who commended the efforts of the EU to “invigorate the deputies”, stressing that “time will not wait for anyone and the House of Representatives will continue to work towards the digital implementation.”

Tarawneh highlighted the security ensured by the tablets, noting that the House of Representatives will make sure that their application “stays away from misuse”.

Andrea Matteo, Head of the Delegation of the EU in Jordan, stated that “the European Union believes in the democratic system and this project is a reflection of those values, working towards the facilitation of the work of Jordanian democratic institutions and the communication of the public with their representatives.”

He congratulated Tarawneh on being “such a strong partner”, noting that the delegation aims to “open a new page of cooperation with Jordan in order to improve the transparency and accessibility of institutions”.

The ceremony served  as an occasion for the representatives to officially present the environmental policy, the overarching framework under which the tablets were provided to cut the paper-usage under the Dome. 

In this regard, secretary general of the House of Representatives, Firas Adwan, noted how the ceremony represented the institution’s aim to take environmental-friendly steps, with MPs choosing to use electronic devices to protect the environment. 

“We had previous initiatives in this matter such as the use of LED lights or chargeable cars,” said Adwan, adding that “the House of Representatives is looking forward to move from the consultation to the execution of the policy and to see the real results on the ground.”

Project Director Said Sanadiki wrapped up the ceremony by presenting the rationale for the provision of the devices. 

“The tablet computers will help the House of Representatives to continue with the national plan for the implementation of the electronic government, providing the deputies with digital assistance in the decision making,” the official said. 

Furthermore, Sanadiki highlighted that the tablets will “improve the communication of the representatives with the citizens, building a channel through which the public can provide feedback to the institutions”.

AMMAN — Officials on Monday said that 15 inmates from Swaqa Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre (SCRC) were referred to the State Security Court (SSC) on terror related charges, adding that investigations are ongoing regarding the involvement of 13 police officers in alleged riots at the facility over the weekend.

Video clips purportedly showing riots and inmates harming themselves with sharp objects at SCRC circulated on social media on Friday, causing outrage among Jordanians.

A group of government and civil society human rights activists on Sunday visited the prison to get a firsthand account of the situation, including the procedures implemented, the extent of damages to the dormitories, and the weapons reportedly seized from the inmates. 

They also met with members of the investigation committee who informed them of the latest developments.

“The investigation committee decided to refer the 15 inmates to the SSC on charges of plotting subversive acts, conducting acts of riots and destroying public property although no heavy weapons or explosives were found with the inmates,” Government Coordinator for Human Rights Basel Tarawneh said.

Following the delegation’s visit, photos were released to the media showing two dormitories entirely gutted by fire as well as dozens of sharp objects, iron bars, ropes and other light objects, that were reportedly found with some inmates.

“The investigation committee is currently questioning 13 police officers in connection with the acts of riots and weapons seized from the inmates,” Tarawneh told The Jordan Times.

The government coordinator said that the number of police officers questioned could increase or decrease, “depending on the findings of the investigation committee”.

“Some of these officers are suspected of smuggling illegal and deadly items to the inmates, including a mobile phone,” Tarawneh added.

The SCRC also decided to send 151 inmates, whom the administration deemed as “troublemakers” to various correctional and rehabilitation centres across the Kingdom.

The alleged riots reportedly started on Friday, two days after a decision by the prison administration to move a few inmates to different dormitories and to conduct inspection campaigns. This move resulted in the alleged seizure of illegal substances and sharp objects.

The prisoners had previously complained during meetings with representatives from human rights organisations of “overcrowding, bad food quality and refusals to their demands to move to different dormitories”.

According to a statement by the Public Security Department (PSD), the SCRC is currently reviewing its “security procedures at the various correctional facilities in the Kingdom”.

“The PSD is keen on being transparent and informing the public about the procedures being conducted in the utmost transparent manner,” the PSD statement added.

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury has participated in several high-level meetings as part of Jordan’s participation in the UN General Assembly, a ministry statement said on Monday.

Among the activities was the EU hosted ministerial meeting, co-chaired by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Staillianides, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and several ministers from Syrian refugees host countries.

Fakhoury noted that the meeting came upon request by Jordan to “sustain the momentum of action” including the international community’s commitments made during the London Conference on Syria in 2016 and the Brussels Conference last April, according to the statement.

He said the meeting aimed to review the means of sustaining the response to humanitarian needs in Syria, address the needs of Syrian refugees and host communities, enhance the resilience of host countries, and maintain stability across Syria through de-escalation zones.  

He urged the EU, UN and Brussels Conference’s organising countries to abide by their commitments and to transform them into concrete support, noting that the Jordan Response Plan’s (JRP) financing has not exceeded 39 per cent so far, the statement said.

He cited the upcoming Brussels Conference 2, scheduled for the spring of 2018 to ensure the continuity of support for countries hosting Syrian refugees.

The minister expressed Jordan’s appreciation for the international community’s support and stressed that Jordan hosts 13 per cent of the world’s UNCHR registered refugees, in addition to hundreds of thousands of unregistered Syrian refugees, the statement read. 

He highlighted the need to help Jordan preserve its resilience in light of the drop in the economic growth rate, the increase of the public debt, and the spike in unemployment, which altogether affects all aspects of life including public services.

Deputising for Prime Minister Hani Mulki, the Planning Minister also took part in a high-level panel on water co-chaired by UN Secretary General António Guterres and the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

The panel aimed to provide advisory instructions on the management and improvement of water resources, in addition to improving the relevant services, the statement said.

During the panel, Fakhoury outlined the continued pressure on Jordan to sustain the water resources due to the massive influx of Syrian refugees into the Kingdom.

The minister also attended the meeting of the International Commission on Forced Displacement, where he cited Jordan as a “model” at the global and regional levels in dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis.

The planning minister also participated, as a main speaker, in two round-table sessions held by the World Economic Forum. The first session focused on accelerating development financing while the second discussed the issue of running the digital development agenda. 

The Minister of Planning later participated in a high-level symposium organised by the World Development Centre, with the participation of ministers and senior officials from Denmark, France, Moldova and the UN Development Programme, according to the statement.

The meeting focused on global refugees crises by bridging the gap between the various humanitarian responses to the refugee crisis and development support.

Fakhoury also joined a high-level meeting on transparent government partnership, co-chaired by the presidents of Georgia and France, the statement concluded.