US congressional aides briefed on current issues

AMMAN — A wide array of issues was under the spotlight during a meeting on Tuesday that brought together Jordanian experts with a delegation from the US Congress.

HRH Princess Basma chaired the discussion, which touched on topics related to the Kingdom’s foreign policy, economic situation, private sector, and women’s empowerment and participation in the labour market.

Former foreign minister Farouk Kasrawi highlighted the latest regional developments and their impact on Jordan.

“We expect a lot from the US,” he said, stressing the important role Washington plays in supporting Jordan’s humanitarian efforts towards the refugees, particularly Syrians, whose number exceeds 600,000.

Princess Basma said the recent developments require more efforts to provide citizens with basic services, noting that the “challenge today is how to keep business as usual” and address imbalances in the health and education systems.

“Grass roots have always been our priority,” said the princess.

Meanwhile, Salma Nims, secretary general of the Jordanian National Commission for Women, cited cultural and social limitations hindering the full empowerment of Jordanian women, although the Kingdom closed the gender gap in education a long time ago.

She noted that women’s participation in the labour market has witnessed a regression, standing at 13.2 per cent in 2009 compared with 14.1 per cent in 2002.

Sara Ababneh from the University of Jordan’s Centre for Strategic Studies presented an example of women defying social norms to defend their rights.

The assistant professor cited women who were classified as day labourers and protested along with their male peers to be placed on the monthly payroll.

“These women have spent the night away from their homes to have their voices heard,” Ababneh said.

In the IT sector, Jordan has managed to become a regional hub for technology despite setbacks, which are mostly related to legislation, noted Hazem Zureiqat, CEO of Sowt — an audio-based social media company.

“Jordan is the Silicon Valley of the region,” he said, referring to His Majesty King Abdullah’s efforts to promote Jordan’s ICT sector globally.

Zureiqat also cited agreements to provide training through cooperation between local companies and counterparts in the Silicon Valley.

The discussion also touched on the Kingdom’s economic policies and vision in light of the regional turmoil, with economist Yusuf Mansur provided an overview.

For their part, the congressional aides stressed their country’s support to Jordan and its reform efforts.