Local

AMMAN — The Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Friday illuminated the Citadel, one of Amman’s most iconic archaeological and tourist landmarks, to mark the launch of a promotional campaign for the Global Disability Summit.

The summit, co-hosted by Jordan, Germany, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA), will take place in Berlin on April 2-3, 2025, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The campaign, under the slogan "Bdouna Ma Btouzbut" (It Doesn’t Work Without Us), aims to raise awareness of the summit’s objectives and the importance of inclusive development for persons with disabilities.

As part of the campaign, the Council is distributing awareness messages across various social media platforms, using innovative and accessible tools and materials to ensure inclusivity for persons with disabilities.

The campaign will target countries in the region, as well as selected countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

To mark the occasion, the Citadel was lit in dark blue and yellow—the campaign’s primary colours—chosen to symbolise accessibility and support for individuals with visual impairments.

The Citadel was selected for this event due to its environmentally adaptive infrastructure, which ensures accessibility for persons with disabilities to its facilities and archaeological sites, aligning with one of the summit's central themes: the importance of accessibility for people with disabilities.

The Global Disability Summit is an international platform aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities. Its mission is to unite global, regional, and local stakeholders to promote inclusive development and ensure that disability rights are integrated into development agendas.

AMMAN — Jordan’s Tripartite Labour Affairs Committee's recent decision to increase the minimum wage from JD260 to JD290, effective January 1, 2025, has sparked debate among experts, organisations, and the public.

The Jordan Labour Watch has welcomed the increase, calling it "a step toward improving workers' living standards and a long-term investment in the country’s economic and social stability."

In a statement to The Jordan Times on Wednesday, the organisation expressed concerns over the sufficiency of the JD30 raise in light of rising inflation rates.

It also pointed out that the new minimum wage constitutes just 46 per cent of the national average wage of JD627, well below the 55 per cent ratio recommended by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The committee's decision to freeze the minimum wage until 2027 has raised questions about its alignment with Article 52 of the Labour Law, which mandates periodic wage reviews to adjust for changes in living costs, the statement added.

Jordan Labour Watch also criticised the exclusion of certain worker groups, such as those in the garment sector and non-Jordanian domestic workers, from the wage increase, labelling the move discriminatory and potentially exacerbating labour market imbalances.

The organisation also stressed that fair wage increases are key to enhancing social equity, reducing poverty, and stimulating economic growth by boosting domestic consumption.

The General Union of Workers in the Textile, Garment, and Clothing Industries has also called for a review of the decision, arguing that the exclusion of garment sector workers violates both the Jordanian Constitution and the Labour Law.

The Social Protection Observatory at Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights Organisation has also recently told The Jordan Times that wage policies should not only reflect economic data but also address the daily struggles faced by the Kingdom’s workforce.

Economist Waseem Hussein said that while the wage hike may have a modest effect on business costs, it could stimulate the economy by enhancing employees' purchasing power, which in turn would increase demand for goods and services.

The Tripartite Labour Affairs Committee, which includes government, employer, and worker representatives, reached this decision in an effort to balance workers' rights with the economic realities faced by employers, according to the Ministry of Labour.

AMMAN — Secretary-General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Amani Azzam on Saturday said that the government’s national programme is focused on delivering natural gas to industrial facilities, with the goal of reducing energy costs and promoting the use of clean energy.

During the National Conference on Climate Change and Green Economy in Amman, Azzam highlighted the programme’s significant progress, including the successful delivery of natural gas to the Al Qweira and Al Qastal regions, as well as the recent inauguration of a reduction and measurement station at the Hashemite Industrial Institutions in Zarqa.

She also announced plans to expand the gas network to cover all industrial cities in the near future, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Azzam also reviewed key strategies for Jordan’s transition to green energy, adding "Green energy now contributes 27 per cent to the country’s total energy mix, underscoring Jordan’s commitment to developing sustainable, environmentally friendly energy sources to address climate change."

Azzam also outlined plans for an innovative electricity storage project at the Mujib Dam, the first of its kind in Jordan.

With a storage capacity of 450 megawatts and a duration of up to seven hours, this project will significantly enhance the country’s ability to store and efficiently use renewable energy, she added.

Azzam also highlighted ongoing electrical interconnection projects with Egypt, Palestine through the Jerusalem District Electricity Company, and Iraq, noting that agreements with Saudi Arabia are near completion to accommodate renewable energy projects within Jordan.

She also stressed the ministry’s focus on attracting investments in green hydrogen, noting that the sector is expected to play a vital role in achieving Jordan’s long-term sustainable energy goals.

AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry on Friday welcomed the adoption of a United Nations General Assembly resolution that calls for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s legal obligations in relation to UN activities and the actions of other states supporting Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The resolution, introduced by Norway in partnership with Jordan, Spain, Indonesia, Ireland, South Africa, Palestine, Slovenia, Chile, Guyana, Qatar, Malaysia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Namibia, urges the ICJ to prioritise the request and urgently provide its opinion on Israel’s responsibilities as the occupying power, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah stressed that the resolution aims to address critical issues concerning the activities of the UN and other third-party states in the occupied territories, particularly ensuring unhindered access to essential services, humanitarian aid, and development support for Palestinian civilians, in alignment with their right to self-determination.

The resolution also calls on Israel to cease measures that obstruct the delivery of basic services and humanitarian aid, especially in Gaza, and to respect the rights of international organisations operating in the occupied territories.

It also highlights the crucial role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in providing assistance to Palestinians, urging the full implementation of the agency’s recommendations to protect its neutrality and effectiveness.

The General Assembly resolution also demands that Israel adhere to its obligations under the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, including ensuring the safety of UN staff, protecting UN institutions, and safeguarding facilities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

Qudah reiterated Jordan’s commitment to working closely with the international community to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people, UN agencies, and relief organisations, particularly UNRWA, whose role remains indispensable and irreplaceable.