Jordan has zero tolerance for airspace violations – Khasawneh

AMMAN — Jordan will show zero tolerance to any violation of its airspace by any party and will confront any action that threatens its national security and its citizens, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said on Sunday.

During a Cabinet meeting, Khasawneh said that Jordan has made it clear to both Iran and Israel that it will not tolerate any violation of its airspace or actions that endanger its citizens, adding that the Kingdom is committed to responding to any such violations within its means, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Emphasising the importance of maintaining a stable and continuous way of life in Jordan, he noted that this stability is crucial to strengthening the Kingdom's resilience and economic vitality and will enable Jordan to support its causes and help the Palestinians in Gaza and other regional issues, he added.

The prime minister also underlined that stability is essential to advance the comprehensive modernisation project led by His Majesty the King, which includes political, economic, and administrative aspects.

Khasawneh highlighted the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for September 10, as a key milestone in the Kingdom's journey toward political modernisation, encouraging all Jordanians to participate in the voting process, Petra reported.

He also noted that the ongoing war on Gaza and the Red Sea crisis has impacted the general economic performance, citing rising costs, a slowdown in tourism, and shifting consumption patterns due to the violence and regional instability.

Khasawneh also pointed to positive developments in job creation, saying, "The results of the 2023 New Job Opportunities Survey show that the Jordanian economy has managed to create 95,342 job opportunities, up from 89,500 in 2022." 

"We are making significant strides in our comprehensive modernisation efforts across three key tracks," Khasawneh added, referencing the ambitious goal set by the Economic Modernisation Vision to create 1,000,000 job opportunities over the next decade.

The Prime Minister also affirmed the resilience and strength of the Jordanian economy, noting the confidence that financial institutions and international bodies have in it. He also highlighted that the Kingdom's debt service ratio is around 20 per cent of its exports, and the government is on track to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio after 2025 as planned.

Khasawneh also noted that recognised international credit rating agencies have stabilised Jordan's credit ratings for the first time in 21 years.