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AMMAN — Finance Minister Omar Malhas on Monday refuted news circulated by an online news agency claiming that the government intends to raise sales tax from 16 to 22 per cent through an amendment of the Sales Tax Law, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

An official source at the Income and Sales Tax Department said that the general ratio of the sales tax had never been subject to amendment or change. It has not been discussed and no meeting was held in this regard, he added.

AMMAN — An aid convoy of Jordan Field Hospital arrived in Gaza on Monday. The convoy consisted six trucks of medical material to sustain the work of the local hospital and enhance its role in serving the residents of the Gaza Strip.

This comes in line with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army, and under the guidance of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

AMMAN — Jordanian candidate Brig. Gen. Amjad Hussami on Monday won the presidency of the Arab League’s anti-terror team for two years, renewable, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The elections were held on the sidelines of the Arab League Council’s permanent representatives meeting. The Jordanian candidate was competing with three other candidates from Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Iraq.

AMMAN — Jordanians’ involvement in voluntary work stands at 1.55 per cent, compared to 25 per cent in Kuwait and in the US, according to a 2016 study on the organisational and legislative work of cooperative societies from a gender perspective in Jordan. 

The study showed weak participation of women, with women societies making up only 6.5 per cent of overall cooperative societies. It attributed it to the “poor” cooperative culture and low levels of marketing and financial returns of cooperative work, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The study, launched by the Jordan National Committee for Family Affairs to increase women economic participation, revealed low levels of competitiveness of cooperative societies.

AMMAN — The 2017 Penal Law, which stiffened the sentence of perpetrators of fake traffic accidents to two years in prison, was published in the Official Gazette on August 30 and will come into force after 60 days of publication, the Public Security Department (PSD) said in a statement on Monday.

The PSD said that the amendment was necessary after the emergence of several cases of fake accidents (collision or hit-and-run), which some consider as a source to receive “easy money” from citizens. Under the amended law, the penalty will be two-year imprisonment and a fine of JD50 for people involved in blackmail cases, if the case involves a fake traffic accident.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday met with Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono over means to boost "strategic" cooperation between Jordan and Japan, a Royal Court statement said.

During the meeting, held at Basman Palace, His Majesty expressed appreciation for the support Japan provides to Jordan in various development fields, in addition to the assistance Tokyo extends to help the country handle the Syrian refugee crisis and enable it to sustain humanitarian and relief services it offers to refugees. 

The King and the minister also discussed the regional developments, especially the efforts to reactivate the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis to resume serious and effective peace talks on the basis of the two-state solution.

King Abdullah and Kono highlighted the “Corridor for Peace and Prosperity” initiative that was launched by Japan 10 years ago, which aims to support peace efforts in the region. 

The concept of the corridor, according to related literature, is to “work collaboratively to materialise projects that promote regional cooperation for the prosperity of the region, such as establishing an agro-industrial park in the West Bank and facilitating the transportation of goods…”. 

In this regard, His Majesty commended Japan’s role in regional peacemaking.

His Majesty and the minister also discussed the Syrian crisis and the endeavours aimed at reaching a political solution that ensures the unity of Syria’s lands and the safety of its people, in addition to the international efforts to combat terrorism within a holistic approach.

For his part, the Japanese minister expressed his country’s appreciation for Jordan’s endeavours to realise peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as Jordan’s humanitarian role in dealing with the refugees on its land.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Hani Mulki met with Kono and outlined the economic challenges that face Jordan as a result of the regional instability, the border closures and hosting Syrian refugees, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Mulki and Kono attended a ceremony to sign memoranda of understanding that included a one-billion-yen grant to fund purchases of the Public Security Department.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury and Japan’s Ambassador in Amman Shunichi Sakurai signed the grant.    

Also on Sunday, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met with his Japanese counterpart and discussed means of improving ties between the two countries.

During the meeting, Safadi and Kono stressed the importance of enhancing economic, security and defence cooperation and building on the outcomes of His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit to Japan last October and the visit of Prime Minister Hani Mulki last July.

Safadi stressed the “deep-rooted” ties between the two countries, calling for a greater role for Japan in the region for its “moderate” policies and its ability to make change in various fields.

The Japanese official’s visit came one day ahead of another by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is expected to discuss regional peace and bilateral ties with senior officials in Amman. 

On Monday, Safadi and Lavrov are scheduled to hold talks in Amman, which will be followed by a joint press conference, the ministry announced yesterday. 

AMMAN — The government on Monday announced the launching of an investment map that aims to improve the economy and standards of living in the Kingdom’s governorates.

The blueprint, which includes investment opportunities in each governorate, aims mainly to create jobs and combat poverty, said Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury in the presence of Prime Minister Hani Mulki, who acted as patron to the event.

Held at the Sports City complex, the event was attended by ministers, ambassadors and various local and international organisations.

The investment map was prepared by the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) and supported by the Planning Ministry with the aim of achieving a “visible and concrete shift in the development efforts for the respective governorates”, according to Fakhoury.

Fakhoury underlined His Majesty King Abdullah’s recent comments during a meeting with community leaders from Jerash, which the minister stressed is also applicable in the rest of the governorates whereby the King said that the main challenge was economy.

 “It was important to direct investments towards the governorates and ensure cooperation between the government, Parliament and governorate councils,” King Abdullah stressed during the recent meeting.

Fakhoury stated that his ministry allocated over “JD5 million for the governorates in 2017 in order to implement the findings of the investment map and put in place the necessary infrastructure for investment”.

“Poverty and unemployment remain the main concern of the government and citizens of the governorates, which necessitates joining our efforts as government, local entities and the private sector to address these challenges,” Fakhouri told the gathering.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Investment Affairs and JIC President Muhannad Shehadeh said that the number of projects in the investment map stands at 120 at a cost of JD302 million and “will hopefully create over 3,800 jobs”. 

According to Shehadeh, the projects are classified as follows: In the industrial sector, there will be 54 projects with an estimated investment cost of JD96 million, while 23 projects were allocated for the service sector worth JD90 million.

The tourism sector will see 21 projects with an investment cost of JD51 million, the agriculture sector will include 14 projects with a value of JD12 million and finally the medical health sector will be covered with eight projects with an investment cost of JD53 million.

Shehadeh stressed that the projects will cover all “governorates without any exception”.

“We will conduct various activities within each governorate to explain the investment map and the projects that will be launched in these communities,” said Shehadeh, whose ministerial portfolio is the first in the country’s history.

Turning to the future plans after the investment plan is applied, Minister Shehadeh said that “the next step will focus on ensuring that Jordan will become a regional hub to support the administrative and technical operations of multinational companies and will work to promote the international and regional conventions that will open the export markets to one billion consumer”.

AMMAN — Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Yarub Qudah on Sunday said that Jordan and Iraq have agreed to establish a joint Jordanian-Iraqi industrial estate on the newly reopened border between the two countries.

During a meeting organised by the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) with Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals Mohammad Sudani, Qudah noted that the agreement to establish the zone aims at enhancing commercial exchange and at contributing to reconstruction projects in Iraq, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He added that an Iraqi committee started field visits to Jordanian factories before Eid Al Adha to check on their production capacities, prior to considering exemptions on Jordanian exports to Iraq.

The minister expected the committee to warp up the visit programme by next week, noting that it has already been agreed with the Iraqi side that products bound for the eastern neighbour will not be exempted from fees if they are produced in Iraq, where they meet a good part of the market need.

If the Iraq-made products do not meet the needs of the local market, the Iraqi authorities agreed to consider granting exemptions on similar Jordanian products, upon a recommendation by the committee, the minister explained.

Meanwhile, Qudah urged Jordanian companies to establish strategic partnerships with Iraqi counterparts to prepare for the reconstruction in Iraq.

For his part, Sudani, who is also minister of labour and social affairs, stressed that there is a strategic understanding, supported by both countries’ political leaderships, to develop commercial and investment cooperation to serve the interests of both countries.

The minister added that despite the fact that Iraq has faced several economic and security challenges, it regards Jordan as the closest country from many aspects and is keen on developing cooperation between the two sides.

He said that Iraq is going through difficult economic challenges, including high rates of unemployment, poverty and inflation that have affected all governorates, especially those that were liberated recently from terrorists, in addition to the fact that there are some 3.5 million internally displaced people who need basic daily services. 

Sudani expressed Iraq’s willingness to develop industrial investment partnerships with Jordan through establishing the joint venture on the border, vowing, at the same time, to provide all possible facilities to Jordanian investors interested in having businesses in Iraq and in participating in reconstruction schemes. 

He stressed that reopening the Turaibil border crossing with Jordan earlier this month is a message to the world that Iraq has the potential to impose the rule of law and is capable of securing the area and the international road.

JCI President Adnan Abul Ragheb said that reopening the crossing will contribute to increasing the volume of commercial exchange, noting that Jordanian exports to Iraq in 2016 stood at $470 million, compared to $697 million in 2015, with a decrease of 32.5 per cent.

He also expressed the industrial sector’s aspiration to take part in the Baghdad international fair, scheduled to be held in October, calling for facilitating procedures for Jordanian companies to participate in the event, which is envisioned to be a good opportunity to enhance commercial ties between businesspeople in both countries.

AMMAN — The newly elected governorate councils convened on Sunday for their first meetings, during which they elected their presidents and vice presidents, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.  

Interior Minister Ghaleb Zu’bi, whose ministry is in charge of overseeing procedures related to these local bodies, stressed last week the importance of the meetings as a “milestone in the history of the Jordanian state to enhance local governance”. 

The meeting is stipulated in Article 33 of the 2015 Decentralisation Law, which is meant to take the democratic process to a new level, where people are more engaged in public life. 

Governorate councils, which were elected on August 15 along with municipal councils and mayors, have replaced assigned consultative councils with local executive councils, in a bid to enhance the oversight role of citizens and public participation in decision making as developmental planning and allocation of funds will be vested in the new councils.

Article 6 of the law stipulates that the Cabinet appoints as members of the governorate councils, upon a recommendation by the interior minister, no more than 15 per cent of the number of elected members, provided that one-third of this percentage is allocated to women, who also enjoy a 10 per cent quota of the elected members.

AMMAN — Amman Design Week (ADW) will return this year from October 6 to 14, under the slogan “Design Moves Life Moves Design”, ADW organisers said at a press conference on Sunday.

Held in Amman Electricity Hangar in Ras Al Ain with the support of Her Majesty Queen Rania, this year’s edition will feature a large-scale programme of curated exhibitions, workshops, talks, and events, under the theme of “movement”.

Established to empower designers by offering them a platform to learn, exchange and collaborate, the event seeks to shed light on Jordan’s diversity and cultural heritage, all the while finding innovative solutions to build better communities and experiences, an ADW statement said. 

Aside from activities taking place in Ras Al Ain, the manifestation will feature more than 50 participating spaces including galleries, shops, universities, public places around the city. A pop Craft District will also be established at the Al Hussein Cultural Centre, in an open-air structure designed by the 2017 ADW lead designer, Dina Haddadin

“This year’s programme offers a rich and innovate range of events that strives to unveil the potential of Jordan’s design landscape and create a dynamic platform for exploring the strong and often unnoticeable impact design has on life,” the organisers added.

Over 100 local and international designers from the UAE, Palestine, Morocco, France, India and the US, among others, are scheduled to participate in the event.

“Design has the capacity to move life and vice versa. We want to highlight the importance of design amongst us and within us, and its importance in improving our communities,” Rana Beiruti, co-founder of the event, told The Jordan Times.

To achieve this, the festival will build on last year’s expansion efforts by engaging schools and communities in governorates beyond Amman, through a wide array of tours, mobile experiences and a travelling Mobile MakerSpace, organisers added.

For co-founder Abeer Seikaly, design is not solely restricted to its esthetical impact. It is also deeply embedded with social movements: “The movement embodied by design empowers people to take control, make an impact, and rise up to challenge the status quo,” she said.

In a bid to empower individuals and communities through design, the festival will hold its first ever student exhibition, which invites high school and university students across the Kingdom to showcase their work. 

“This year’s edition is expanding on last year’s achievements, by introducing a series of projects entirely dedicated to students, offering them various learning and collaboration opportunities,” Beiruti stated.

Curated by Ahmad Humeid, CEO and founder of SYNTAX, the 2017’s edition will be held in collaboration with the Greater Amman Municipality and Zain, the statement said. 

The 2016 edition gathered 89 exhibitors from 11 participating countries, which attracted a total of 35,000 visitors, according to ADW.