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AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday in New York, reaffirmed Jordan’s support for the Palestinian people in their efforts to seek their just and legitimate rights, stressing that the Kingdom rejects all unilateral measures that would undermine peace prospects.

King Abdullah said the two-state solution is the only way to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel in peace and security, according to a Royal Court statement.

Jordan will continue to undertake its historical and religious role in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, in line with the Hashemite Custodianship, His Majesty stressed, underscoring the importance of preserving the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem, the statement said.

At the meeting, attended by senior officials on the two sides, Abbas expressed appreciation for Jordan’s steadfast positions, led by the King, in defending the rights of the Palestinian people at all international forums and supporting the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday met with the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Professor Klaus Schwab on the sidelines of His Majesty’s visit to New York to attend the 74th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The meeting covered Jordan’s partnership with the WEF, having hosted the WEF on the Middle East and North Africa for the 10th time this year, with the participation of hundreds of political, business, and civil society leaders, a Royal Court statement said.

Adviser to His Majesty for Communication and Coordination Bisher Al Khasawneh and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Mohamad Al-Ississ attended the meeting, according to the statement.

AMMAN — Hangzhou Investment Holdings Co. Ltd. and Chinese investors have discussed means of cooperation and partnership with the New Mazar Municipality through investments in the North Mazar valued at JD25 million in the first phase.

The meeting, between Hangzhou Chairman of the Board of Directors Mohammad Jarrah, Chinese investors and Mayor Mutee Sharman, included signing a memorandum of understanding, Al Rai Arabic daily reported on Sunday.

The company expressed its readiness to increase its investment in the health, environment, tourism, and sustainable development sectors, while starting partnerships with ministries, municipalities and local community institutions. 

The New Mazar Municipality, for its part, would offer all procedural facilities and infrastructure.

Hangzhou, which was registered and licensed in Irbid this year, comprises Chinese investors in the fields of small- and medium-sized enterprises, tourism, health, environment and transportation, Jarrah told Al Rai. 

Sharman reviewed the most-needed projects in the municipality, including a hospital, medical centres, alternative energy plants, the installation of street lights and renovating the old town of Samad, expressing the municipality’s readiness to cooperate with the company and investors to provide necessary infrastructure and lands for their projects.

Jarrah noted that the company has already started establishing SMEs in the Koura and Northern Mazar districts and real estate ventures in the capital.

The chairman also said that the company is considering the establishment of a “big hotel” in Irbid to be affiliated with the Hilton group, noting that plans and funds are ready.

He said that the company is willing to form partnerships with the public and private sectors regarding the land transport, light train and metro sectors, noting that the investment environment in Jordan is “promising” for these vital projects. 

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat on Sunday said "open dialogue" is the only solution to end the teachers' strike that began more than two weeks ago.

"The government is serious and committed to finding a fair and practical solution to end the teachers' strike," Ghunaimat told reporters during a meeting at the Prime Ministry.

"We call on the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) to end the strike and sit with the government to negotiate alternatives that would preserve the rights of the teachers and the students," the minister added.

"Our main concern is to ensure better working conditions and salaries for the teachers, and we will work on that through a joint committee that will be formed between the government and JTA members to discuss these points," Ghunaimat told reporters.

The minister added that, "we also want to ensure that the children affected by the strike will get their proper right of education and this cannot happen unless the teachers decide to end their strike".

Some 100,000 teachers declared a nationwide strike on September 8, calling on the government to acknowledge, and meet, their right to a 50-per cent pay raise they claimed was promised by a previous government five years ago. 

During Sunday's meeting, however, Ghunaimat stated that the previous governments,"never promised the teachers a 50-per cent raise".

"The 50-per cent raise was never promised by any government in previous years. But the successive governments pledged their commitment to improving the working conditions and salaries of the teachers and this is our aim by the beginning of 2020," Ghunaimat stressed.

The JTA also asked for the government to apologise for the way the authorities reportedly handled the sit-in they staged in Amman on September 5, during which the association claimed its members were subject to violations.

The association also rejected the government's proposal during a meeting held on Thursday, describing it as "vague" and stressed that it tackles none of the teachers' demands.

Meanwhile during the same meeting, the government insisted that their proposal set a "new model" to improve the living and financial conditions of teachers while developing the educational process.

The JTA vowed to continue its strike, claiming that the recent government and previous governments have ignored their demands for a long time. 

The open strike was announced after the sit-in in Amman on September 5, during which, the JTA claimed, violations were committed against its members.

The Public Security Department denied the allegations, but confirmed that 50 teachers were detained during the protest for "illegally forcing their way through to the government's headquarters at Amman's Fourth Circle", which was the protest location designated by the JTA.

At the time, the government rejected the set location, allowing the teachers to hold their protest near Parliament in Abdali instead, however, teachers were adamant on the original spot, but were blocked from reaching Fourth Circle. 

Ghunaimat concluded the meeting with the press by saying that the teachers' salaries will be paid on time without any deductions.

She added that the education minister will determine how the 1.5 million students who were affected by the strike will be compensated for the lost classes.

AMMAN — As the teachers’ strike entered its third week on Sunday, parents voiced concerns about how the situation might negatively affect their children who remain at home without schooling.

There are 37,222 students in public kindergartens, 200,000 first graders and 97,620 Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate Examination) students, according to official figures shared with The Jordan Times. The figures also indicated that each day of the strike causes a loss of millions spent to operate schools while 1.5 million students are being deprived of their education. 

Hussein Zorba, who has a son in the 10th grade and a daughter in Tawjihi, said he is especially worried about his daughter, who, in such a crucial year that will determine her future, sits at home receiving no education at all.

"My son was supposed to start the 10th grade this year, but even after summer break, he has been sitting at home playing games all the time; I ended up having to transfer him to a private school in order for him to keep up with the curricula and receive an education," he told The Jordan Times over the phone on Sunday. 

"I know teachers want a 50 per cent increase on their salaries, but the strike has been [going] on for too long now; it is affecting the future of students,” Zorba said, adding that there needs to be another way to settle the issue without affecting students, especially Tawjihi students who “desperately need to finish their subjects before the ministry exams”.

Rania Shalabi, whose two daughters are in third and seventh grades, said: “My daughter was very excited to start the seventh grade and wear the green uniform, and although most students her age would be happy to just stay home, she actually wants to study,” adding that her other daughter is still so young that she is, “not taking any of this seriously”. 

Shalabi said that if the strike goes on any longer, the students will forget what they learned last year and will not return to their studies with the same spirit and excitement. 

She added that teachers need to find a different way to press for their rights, since, even though she agrees they should receive their pay raise, she still thinks students should not be deprived of their education to reach those rights.

Mohammad Bdair, who transferred his son to a public school, said that the strike has affected his son even more than the transfer did.

"My son was used to the atmosphere of private schools, but I could not afford their high costs, so I had to transfer him to the nearest public school, and now the strike has halted his education even further; I do not know what to do anymore really, I just hope this all ends soon, no matter how," he said. 

AMMAN — Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of the national housing programme targetting individuals receiving low- and medium-level incomes, scheduled for implementation in Zarqa as well as the Karak, Amman, Tafileh and Mafraq governorates.

The programme seeks to implement small housing clusters that provide “holistic services” to low- and medium-income demographics, built on lands owned by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC).

The initiative will witness the establishment of 900 residential apartments across the five governorates that are around 100-120sq.m. in size.  

The premier also laid the cornerstone for a number of investment, development and service projects in Zarqa, which span the housing, healthcare and public services sectors, to be executed in cooperation with the private sector, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

During his tour of the northern governorate, Razzaz visited the  Jordanian Korean Institute for Technology, which is a "pioneer training centre" in technological professions and skills. 

In his address during the inauguration ceremony, the premier expressed the government’s hopes for the launch of the housing programme that seeks to embed ideals of solidarity, taking into consideration the large number of underprivileged families who cannot find affordable living. 

“The programme offers Jordanian investors with a plethora of opportunities and creates jobs, which is part of the government’s plans to energise the economy through the real estate and construction sectors,” Razzaz noted. 

Minister of Public Works and Housing Falah Omoush, who is also chairman of the HUDC, said that in addition to establishing residential clusters, the project also seeks to provide a total of 1,700 plots of lands that boast a fully developed and serviced infrastructure, to families with a monthly income of less than JD700 at reasonable prices and with concessions, according to Petra.

A total of 4,500 people will benefit from the residential apartments, Omoush said, adding that 240 apartments will be built in the city of Majd in Zarqa, 190 in Muwaqqar, 80 in Karak, 110 in Tafileh, 160 as part of the Amman 1 project and 120 in Mafraq.  

In the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud City in Zarqa, Razzaz laid the cornerstone for a number of projects to be implemented by the Land International Investment and Real Estate Development Company, the National Resources Investment and Development Corporation (Mawared) and the Ard Al Qamar Company. 

These projects include a 200-bed hospital at a cost of JD100 million, a holistic Islamic centre with a mosque that can accommodate 1,000 people, a library, various rooms, a public garden and playing fields with an area of 18 dunums, in addition to a mall that will create 2,800 job opportunities once it opens, Petra reported.

“Zarqa was and remains a key pillar of production in the Kingdom, whether through industrial, commercial or service production,” Razzaz said. 

“Our country has overcome several hardships and emerged far stronger, which has positively impacted the private sector and investors,” he highlighted, reiterating the importance of the projects that are set to provide over 5,000 work opportunities.  

AMMAN — Workshops on "future foresight" have been launched as part of the Jordanian-United Arab Emirates strategic partnership in government modernisation.

The "first of their kind", the workshops have been designated to share the UAE's experience in future foresight with the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Sunday.

The concept of future foresight stems from the desire to be ready to face the unpredictability of the future and is a practical tool for a state to predict, analyse and address future challenges by proper preemptive planning, according to the UAE government website.

With the participation of more than 180 Jordanian top officials and six Emirati trainers, the courses aim at building capacities in the field of long-term planning for the future, which would achieve the "Jordan 2025" national vision, draw up flexible plans and develop innovative models for future services.

Highlighting the UAE's experience in the use of 3D printing technology, the workshops also touched on different areas, including the fourth industrial revolution and its technology, the impact of artificial intelligence on individuals and society, the future of transportation, robots and medical technology.

The strategic partnership between Jordan and the United Arab Emirates covers various fields in government modernisation including developing government services, smart services, institutional performance, innovation, excellence and building leaderships and capacities.

AMMAN — The King Abdullah II Design and Development  Bureau (KADDB) through its Cyber Security Academy KCSA on Sunday launched a specialised cyber security programme.

The programme will be taught at KCSA's training facility in Amman to staff from the Jordanian government and banking organisations in five-day modules from September until December, according to a statement from the bureau.

 “The programme contains five UK government certified training courses from KADDB partner Protection Group International [PGI],” Abdallah Al Masri, KCSA manager, was quoted in the statement as saying.

“These practical, hands-on courses, that are taught by KADDB trainers in English and Arabic, teach staff to secure and test information systems and networks and to investigate and respond to cyber security attacks  and incidents,” he added.

PGI’s Chief Corporate Development Officer Sebastian Madden, PGI General Manager for the Levant region Wafa Nimri, and PGI’s head of Information Assurance Training Steve Meyer represented PGI at the opening of the training, according to the statement.

“We are very excited to see the KADDB starting to deliver the technical training today,” Sebastian Madden was quoted in the statement as saying.

The PGI has been working with the KADDB for over a year to build the training centre and infrastructure and to train and certify KADDB’s trainers  to PGI standards,  he added.

The KADDB Cyber Security Academy will help Jordan protect its economy and security from cyber security threats, the statement said, noting that KCSA is an "asset" for the whole Middle East region, which has an acute shortage of cyber security skills and desperately needs high-quality training from expert Arabic-speaking trainers like the KADDB team.

AMMAN — From an evaluation of consumer behaviour in the clothing and footwear sector, it was found that many people have shifted from buying local clothing brands to global ones, especially during sales seasons, according to the Amman Chamber of Commerce representative, Asaad Qawasmi.

"In all seasons, trust in global brands has increased competition with local clothing, especially in big shopping centres and malls, which provide the convenience of parking, fun, competitive prices and quality brand clothes," Qawasmi said.

There are 122 apparel brands in Jordan, 16 of which belong to foreign companies, he said, noting that they are concentrated in six big shopping centres in Amman, and 12 other malls in Amman and other governorates.

Sales and other promotions have increased causing brand prices to fall near the range of local attire companies. According to Qawasmi, this drop is owed partly to a decrease in consumers' purchasing capabilities.

"This is neither positive nor negative for the sector, it is a mere observation of a consuming habit, it benefits the consumers more than it does the sector," he said, noting that the market's transition is still weak but the clothing sector still suffers. 

President of the Textile and Readymade Clothes Syndicate Muneer Deyeh said the market is open for competition as long as the government does not intervene with pricing or the volume of goods available.

He added that, based on supply and demand, quality and price, consumers can choose where they want to shop, which increases competition, especially in the clothing and footwear sector.

"Therefore, whatever is showcased in regular, brand or outlet shops, anywhere in the Jordanian market, gives a positive edge in the sense that the variation meets the demands of all segments of society," Deyeh said. 

He noted that this does not mean citizens have stopped going to traditional shops, but that some are leaning towards more globalised brands, especially as the majority of the population belongs to the middle and lower classes who cannot afford international brands or shopping at malls, except when there are bountiful sales, which mostly happen at the end of a season.

Challenges facing the sector, as highlighted by both Qawasmi and Deyeh earlier, include illegal e-commerce, "mail-package" trade and the spread of haphazard markets, causing an overflow of shopping malls in areas that are very close to each other.

These things, combined with customs fees and taxes sometimes reaching 47 per cent, cause “shopping tourism” in the Kingdom to lose its competitive edge in the region, according to the representative.

AMMAN — On Thursday last week, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) held the “2019 KOICA Volunteer Programme Partners Workshop” which aims at introducing representatives from the Jordanian Government to their volunteer programme and giving their partners the opportunity to voice their opinions and suggestions in order to further develop the programme in the future, according to a statement issued by the organisation.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Jordan, Lee Jae-wan, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation Representative, Wafa Saket, and Bint Adi Secondary School principal, Abeer Nieme, commenced the event by expressing their gratitude to the participants and to KOICA and to the programme partners for their cooperation and contribution to the programme’s success for the past 13 years, the statement said.

During the workshop, two KOICA volunteers shared their experiences and activities during their terms of service in Jordan, according to the statement.

Cho Moonhwa, a Korean language lecturer at Yarmouk University, co-presented her activities in the arts faculty along with her student, Sondos Okour, while the second volunteer, Yoon Ji-won, who is doing her voluntary service at Aqaba Comprehensive Healthcare Centre as a dental hygienist, shared about her activities.

The workshop was concluded with KOICA “renewing its commitment to increase its partners’ satisfaction with its utmost efforts through a feedback session for KOICA’s partners”, the statement said, adding that the KOICA Jordan Office also promotes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the global campaign adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. 

Currently, there are 18 Korean volunteers who are providing their voluntary services at various public organisations in Jordan, the statement concluded.