Prince El Hassan: Investing in human capital is the key to success in renewing the renaissance

His Highness Prince Hassan bin Talal Tuesday opened the training and maintenance centre project for the technical work teams of the Yarmouk Water Company.

Prince El Hassan discussed involving local communities in decision-making to increase awareness and knowledge and adopt human-centred policies.

The project is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Jordan in cooperation with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

The Prince discussed transforming Jordanians’ mindset from the state of receiving to production, delegation and empowerment of citizens and creating a community of practice to develop indicative plans.

He added that the key to success in renewing the “renaissance” is investment in human capital and sustainability through generous citizenship.

He stressed the “need” to reformulate priorities in the northern development region and focus on substantive integration between the geographic and development components.

He noted that the development and advancement of reso
urces would be through providing an independent scientific and technological database based on absolute information.

Prince El Hassan stressed the role of networking between the nexus of water, food, energy and environment and leveraging the land and its resources within the concept of the “ocean.”

In turn, the Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority, Hisham Haisa, discussed Jordan’s challenges in water, including climate change and waves of refugees and their impact on the rise in population numbers and the rise in demand for water.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Kuwait Amir arrives in Egypt on state visit

CAIRO, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his accompanying delegation arrived in Egypt on a state visit on Tuesday.

His Highness the Amir was received by Egyptian President Abdelfattah Al-Sisi, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Ahmed Samih Talaat, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt Ghanim Al-Ghanim and Kuwait permanent representative to Arab League Ambassador Talal Al-Mutairi. His Highness the Amir’s accompanying delegation comprises Minister of Finance and State Minister for Economic Affairs and Investment Anwar Ali Al-Mudhaf, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya and senior Amiri Diwan officials.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

King urges developing phosphate exports to include downstream industry products

His Majesty King Abdullah II Tuesday stressed the importance of developing the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company’s (JPMC) exports to include downstream industry products with high economic value to alleviate the impact of price fluctuations and enhance competitiveness.

According to a royal court statement, during a meeting with JPMC representatives, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, His Majesty praised the results achieved by the company in recent years, calling for developing an ambitious investment plan consistent with the goals of the Economic Modernisation Vision, in terms of expanding investment, increasing growth and employment, and boosting modern industries.

During the meeting, attended by Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, JPMC Chairman Mohammad Thneibat spoke about the company’s keenness to improve the quality of production and increase its volume, as well as increase sales.

Thneibat said the company has also established new partnerships and started implementing
new projects to increase revenues and strengthen its financial and competitive standing.

He added that the company’s new projects are expected to contribute to a total increase in sales of approximately $1.2 billion, and an increase in profits no less than $500 million, in addition to creating 1,000 new job opportunities.

The government owns the largest share in the JPMC, which is divided between the Government Investment Management Company, with a 25.6 per cent stake, and the Social Security Corporation, with a 16.6 per cent stake.

JPMC CEO Abdel Wahab Alrowwad gave a briefing on the company’s work during the past five years, explaining that the number of job opportunities it offers increased to 10,000 direct and indirect ones, while the production volume of mining increased by 3.5 million tonnes to reach 11.5 million tonnes.

According to Alrowwad, the company’s sales increased by $890 million, exceeding $2 billion during the same period.

The company has also reached new markets in countries like the Un
ited States, Brazil, Australia, and China, and reduced production costs by 40 per cent annually, while employing integrated automation technologies in its production processes, he continued.

Alrowwad highlighted the company’s plans for 2024-2030, which include establishing an industrial complex in Aqaba, in partnership with the Arab Potash Company, as well as establishing the Jordanian-Turkish Fertiliser Company, and raising the production capacity of a number of its factories.

Jordan has the fifth largest phosphate reserves in the world at 3.7 billion tonnes, of which 1.25 billion tonnes are the mine reserves of the JPMC, which is the first exporter and fifth largest producer of phosphate in the world, with an annual production capacity of more than 7 million tonnes.

Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan and Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh attended the meeting.

Source: Jordan News Agency

G7 environment ministers express concern about growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza

ROME, The G7 environment, climate and energy ministers expressed concern about the growing humanitarian crisis and destruction in the Gaza Strip as a result of the brutal war waged by the occupation army, renewing their call for a ceasefire.

This came in a statement of the Ministers of Environment and Energy of the Group of Seven Industrial Estates (G7) after their meeting Tuesday in Italy.

The ministers said, “We are deeply concerned about the devastating and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” recalling the recent statements of the G7 leaders on December 6, 2023, and other relevant statements of the group and the statement of the meeting of transport ministers on “the escalation of the Red Sea crisis on February 20, 2024.” The final statement also pointed to the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the situation in the Middle East on April 19, 2024, and UN Security Council Resolution No. 2728 on March 25, 2024, which calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Jordan views with appreciation its relations with Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan, Jordan senior official says

Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League, Amjad Adaileh, headed the Kingdom’s delegation participating in the third session of the Arab Economic and Cooperation Forum with the countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in Doha, Qatar.

Adaileh said, “Jordan views with appreciation and interest its relations with the Central Asia countries and Azerbaijan, with which His Majesty King Abdullah II and the leaders of these friendly countries have strong and extended relations and mutual visits.”

He stressed, “Through this forum, which bears the title ‘Prospects for Joint Cooperation between Challenges and Aspirations,’ we seek to strengthen the partnership with the countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, whether in a bilateral or multilateral framework in a way that reflects the mutual and serious desire to build on what brings us together.”

He said, “The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan stands alongside its Arab brothers in this effort of economic cooperation with the countries of Central Asia and the R
epublic of Azerbaijan and the establishment of a strategic dialogue to enhance cooperation between the two sides in the economic, political, scientific, cultural, industrial, commercial, agricultural and security fields.”

Adaileh added in Jordan’s address, “Our meeting is being held today in light of political and security challenges that affect our region and the entire world and threaten the system of global peace and security.

“This requires us to intensify efforts to reach sustainable solutions to these crises, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause and ending the suffering of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in light of the continued Israeli aggression and massacres against civilians and the humanitarian disasters caused by this war.

Source: Jordan News Agency

King receives Blinken, urges immediate ceasefire in Gaza

His Majesty King Abdullah II on Tuesday received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

According to a royal court statement, during a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, His Majesty stressed the importance of taking immediate action to stop the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Strip and protect innocent civilians.

The King called for ensuring the continuous flow of humanitarian, relief, and medical aid to Gaza through all available means.

His Majesty also warned of the danger of any military operation in Rafah, stressing that the catastrophic effects of the war in Gaza could spread to areas in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the entire region.

The King said supporting UNRWA is crucial to enable it to cover the basic needs of nearly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, as well as other Palestinian refugees in its areas of operation.

His Majesty reaffirmed the significant role that t
he US plays in creating a political horizon that leads to just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, which is the only way to ensure the security of the Palestinians, the Israelis, and the entire region.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and US Ambassador to Jordan Yael Lambert attended the meeting.

Earlier, Safadi met with Blinken to follow up on the discussions with the Arab Group, which focused on efforts to end the war on Gaza, address the humanitarian catastrophe, prevent the military operation on Rafah, de-escalate in the West Bank, and launch a comprehensive plan to create a political horizon to achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution.

Source: Jordan News Agency

King receives Blinken, urges immediate ceasefire in Gaza

His Majesty King Abdullah II on Tuesday received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

According to a royal court statement, during a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, His Majesty stressed the importance of taking immediate action to stop the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Strip and protect innocent civilians.

The King called for ensuring the continuous flow of humanitarian, relief, and medical aid to Gaza through all available means.

His Majesty also warned of the danger of any military operation in Rafah, stressing that the catastrophic effects of the war in Gaza could spread to areas in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the entire region.

The King said supporting UNRWA is crucial to enable it to cover the basic needs of nearly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, as well as other Palestinian refugees in its areas of operation.

His Majesty reaffirmed the significant role that t
he US plays in creating a political horizon that leads to just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, which is the only way to ensure the security of the Palestinians, the Israelis, and the entire region.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and US Ambassador to Jordan Yael Lambert attended the meeting.

Earlier, Safadi met with Blinken to follow up on the discussions with the Arab Group, which focused on efforts to end the war on Gaza, address the humanitarian catastrophe, prevent the military operation on Rafah, de-escalate in the West Bank, and launch a comprehensive plan to create a political horizon to achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Kuwait-Egypt Summit to further deepen relations – media figures

CAIRO, The deep-rooted relations between the State of Kuwait and Egypt are an eminent mark of pan-Arab cooperation and a framework of mutual interests bonding the two brotherly peoples.

Abdulsadeq Al-Shorbaji, the head of the Egyptian Press Authority, said the planned state visit by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his forecast meeting with President Abdulfattah Al-Sisi would further deepen and strengthen the distinguished relations between the two states, impacting positively on the pan-Arab economic interests.

He indicated that the Kuwaiti-Egyptian Summit coincides with mounting challenges on the international arena, sending ramifications to all states without exemption, thus the Arab states amid this situation ought to coordinate efforts to address some of these hazardous challenges namely the Israeli war on Gaza Strip.

He lauded the level of the Egyptian-Kuwaiti ties in various sectors, expressed satisfaction with the volume of Kuwaiti investments in Egypt, noting the
Egyptian press major role in cementing further these relations and reacting to bids by “hostile powers” to strain these special relations by disseminating rumors and lies.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Kamal, the board chairman and chief editor of the Middle East News Agency, said in remarks to KUNA that Kuwaiti-Egyptian relations, during the era of President Al-Sisi, have noticeably improved. “Our leadership has been seeking to bolster these relations with solid steps in all sectors,” he affirmed.

Leaderships of the two countries have been keenly maintaining coordination, particularly amid the difficult circumstances prevailing across the Arab world, Kamal said, noting the identical views on the necessity of halting the genocide, waged by the Israeli occupation since seven months, ago on Gaza.

The joint stand is also aimed at halting the Israeli aggression, establishing an independent Palestinian state to the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

President Al-Sisi has visited Kuwait several times
since 2015, the latest of which was on December 17, 2023, during which he congratulated His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal on taking office and offering condolences on the demise of the late Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Amir, for his part, had visited Cairo. He also participated, when he was the Crown Prince and the Deputy Amir, in the “Cairo Peace Summit” held in October 2023 to discuss the Palestinian cause.

The Kuwait-Egypt coordination, moreover, covers Arab issues such as the crises in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

At the economic level, Kuwaiti investments are present, robustly, in many sectors and the Kuwaiti private sector effectively contributes to developing the Egyptian economy, he said, estimating the Kuwaiti businesses’ value at more than USD 20 billion.

The Kuwait-Egypt volume of trade, in 2020, reached USD five billion, the two countries have been bonded with some 140 treaties, and Kuwait is a third trade partner for Egypt. Furthermore, number of the Kuwaiti stud
ents in Egypt has exceeded 30,000.

Kuwait backed Egypt in the aftermath of the “June 30 revolution,” and Egypt backed Kuwait in the 1991 liberation and independence in 1961.

For his part, Jamal Al-Kashki, the Al-Ahram Al-Arabi chief editor, said the visit by His Highness the Amir would affirm the depth of the relations, and harmony of the views with respect to maintaining the Arab nation’s security.

The visit coincides with major events in the Arab region namely the Israeli aggression on Gaza and its impact on the Arab countries.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Upcoming elections will be the first step towards parliamentary governments, says official

The Chair of the Board of Commissioners of the Independent Election Commission (IEC), Musa Maaytah, Tuesday said, “The upcoming parliamentary elections will be the first step towards parliamentary governments.”

In a meeting of the Government Communication Forum entitled: Parliamentary Elections 2024… What’s New, Maaytah said, “Jordan is a strong and stable country and its democratic right is being fulfilled despite the surrounding circumstances and challenges.”

Maaytah pledged “absolute transparency” in managing the parliamentary elections slated for September and ensured that the IEC would implement international standards.

“We have a law that monitors the elections and criminalises any illegal practice that affects the reputation of the elections or harms the conduct of the electoral process,” he said, adding that the IEC would hold virtual elections next June.

He discussed the national mechanism to monitor election-related violence, stressing that the current election law is “more fair” to women tha
n its predecessor by allocating 18 seats for them in local districts as a minimum.

He urged Jordanians to vote in the upcoming elections and choose, adding that political parties have a “major” interest in encouraging voter turnout.

He said that the Commission held “extensive” meetings with political parties to answer their inquiries about the executive instructions to enable them to prepare for the elections, noting that there are over 86,000 party members in Jordan.

He added that political parties have the right to announce their programmes and positions in all institutions and universities but electoral propaganda is limited to a deadline that cannot be exceeded according to the law.

Maaytah said the IEC monitors the parties’ preparation for the elections according to the law and that no official complaints regarding any facts or suspicions harm the election process.

He explained that the IEC would announce on its website all the details related to the parties in terms of their number, programmes and
budget, adding that the Commission plans to organise meetings with international and Arab experts to help political parties manage their affairs for the upcoming elections without interfering in their statutes.

He added that the members of the sub-election committees would take the legal oath next week and that the authority would work to increase the number of mixed polling centres, 30 per cent of which are mixed.

He noted that the number of polling centres in the upcoming elections is about 1,600 distributed throughout all regions of the Kingdom.

He added that a plan was launched in cooperation with the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) that includes an agreement to provide 95 “model” polling centres that would consider the use of sign language in all election awareness videos and training political parties to support persons with disabilities during elections.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Israeli occupation forces kill Palestinian man

RAMALLAH, A Palestinian man was killed on Tuesday after being arrested by the Israeli occupation forces and was beaten in Dhahiriya, south of Al-Khalil (Hebron) in the West Bank.

The Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) quoted local sources as confirming the death of Hassan Mansiya after Israeli occupation forces chased him while he was on his way to work.

WAFA quoted his father as saying that Israeli occupation forces stopped a vehicle carrying his son alongside a group of young men, chased him inside a building, arrested him, severely beat him, and then threw him off the rooftop of the building.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Statistics: Unemployment down to 22% in 2023

The unemployment rate in Jordan decreased by 0.8 percentage points to 22 percent last year, according to Department of General Statistics data.

The male unemployment rate was at 19.6 percent in 2023, one percentage point down from 2022, and the female rate decreased by 0.7 percentage points to 30.7 percent, It said in a statement Tuesday marking May Day.

The figures showed that the number of insured workers with the Social Security Corporation saw a remarkable increase over the past years, rising from 366,000 male and female workers in 2000 to about 1,503,019 in 2022.

The department also pointed out that average monthly wage soared from JD60 in the mid-seventies to JD211 in the mid-nineties, and to JD546 in 2021, in the public and private sectors, as the male average wage reached JD563 and females JD505.

Despite the gains of Jordanian workers, It said, they still face numerous challenges in the local labor market, key among which is competition from foreign labor, whose numbers swelled dramatically, depr
iving Jordanian workers of job opportunities created by various economic sectors and keeping unemployment rates almost steady despite efforts to curb it.

The department also said women’s economic participation remained below the aspired-for goals.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Kuwait oil price down to USD 89.63 pb – KPC

KUWAIT, The Kuwaiti oil price slightly fell 24 cents to USD 89.63 per barrel (pb) on Monday, compared to USD 89.87 pb, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said on Tuesday.

In international markets, futures of the Brent crude oil fell USD 1.10 to reach USD 88.40 pb and those of the West Texas Intermediate crude oil dropped USD 1.22 pb to USD 82.63 a barrel.

Source: Kuwait News Agency