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AMMAN — Some 153,000 Syrians, including 33,000 who are registerd as refugees with the UNHCR, have left the Kingdom to Syria since the Jaber-Nasib border crossing was reopened in mid-October of last year, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

In a statement from the ministry’s Syrian Refugees Affairs Directorate, carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the ministry reaffirmed the Kingdom's commitment to the principle of voluntary return of Syrian refugees and taking the necessary measures to facilitate their departure should they choose it.

The statement also underscored the Kingdom's commitment to adhering to the related international treaties and conventions in dealing with Syrian refugees, as well as continuing with the provision of basic services and needs, referring to past humanitarian and operational decisions to organise their entry and residence in the Kingdom.

A recent UNHCR survey showed that 75.2 per cent of Syrian refugees in regional countries expressed their wish of voluntary repatriation.

Jordan and its northern neighbour reopened the Jaber-Nasib border crossing on October 15, 2018, after passenger and cargo traffic was halted for more than three years as a result of the escalating violence in the Syrian town of Nasib, just across the border station, some 80km north of Amman.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday met Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Palace, and discussed the strategic Jordanian-German ties and means to enhance cooperation in all areas.

King Abdullah expressed Jordan’s appreciation for the support provided by Germany for several development projects in the Kingdom, a Royal Court statement said.

The meeting also covered regional concerns and the need to find political solutions to crises in the region.

The importance of maintaining coordination and consultation between the two countries on various matters of mutual concern was also stressed, with the goal of achieving peace and bolstering security and stability in the region.

His Majesty highligted the need for concerted international efforts in rejection of all unilateral measures that could undermine the two-state solution — the only solution to the conflict, which leads 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.

For his part, President Steinmeier, stressed the importance of Jordan’s role, under His Majesty’s leadership, in achieving security and stability in the region, highlighting the Kingdom’s humanitarian role in shouldering the burden of hosting refugees, according to the statement.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Adviser to His Majesty for Communication and Coordination Bisher Khasawneh, Jordan’s Ambassador in Berlin Bashir Zoubi, and a number of German officials attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, King Abdullah’s talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Tuesday focused on means to bolster cooperation and the strategic partnership between the two countries, as well as the latest regional and international developments.

In remarks to the press after bilateral and expanded talks held at the Federal Chancellery, King Abdullah reaffirmed the deep-rooted ties between Jordan and Germany, expressing appreciation for Germany’s support and for recognising the burden Jordan is shouldering as a result of the Syrian refugee crisis, according to the statement.

His Majesty said the two countries this year mark the 60th anniversary of Jordanian-German development cooperation, expressing keenness to continue collaboration in the best interest of the two countries.

Tuesday’s talks offered an opportunity to exchange views, the King added, noting that Jordan and Germany see eye to eye.

His Majesty said the Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains “the major conflict in the region. And we are very concerned that any escalations that prevent the launch of negotiations between both sides will only add to the burdens that we have, going into the future, so we hope that there is common sense that prevails, and this is where, again, Germany and Jordan look to the future in a unified way”.

Highlighting the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, the King said, “We are proud to carry that responsibility on behalf of Muslims and Christians, but we all in the world have a stake in Jerusalem. It is a religious and historical obligation of the Christian and Muslim worlds to guarantee the future of this holy city. And, again, I thank the role of Germany in being able to engage positively on this issue.”

Responding to a question on the Israeli statements regarding the annexation of the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, His Majesty said such statements will have an impact on the relationship between Israel and Jordan, and Israel and Egypt, and do not help create an atmosphere conducive to bringing the Palestinians and the Israelis to the negotiating table, the statement added.

“These types of statements are a disaster to any attempt to move forward to the two-state solution, and we are looking at this with tremendous concern in Jordan, because it does not bode well for trying to get Israelis and Palestinians together,” the King said.

Answering a question on the future of Jordan’s economy, His Majesty said Jordan has target-oriented plans for economic reform over the next five years that capitalise on Jordan’s points of strength, “our very capable, young, talented population”.

The King pointed to tourism, IT and healthcare as promising sectors in Jordan, adding that the World Economic Forum has named 27 Jordanian start-ups among the top 100 start-ups in the region, according to the Royal Court.

“The government is committed to a very strong fiscal reform programme, and so, we are looking at improving the process over the next year or two, but that wouldn’t be as successful, if it weren’t for the strong support that we get from Germany, as well as the tremendous support we get from the EU,” His Majesty said.

For her part, Chancellor Merkel welcomed the King to Berlin, noting that their last meeting was in Assisi, Italy, when His Majesty received the Lamp of Peace Award.

Germany continues to work with Jordan, and is aware of the challenges that the Kingdom faces, Chancellor Merkel said, citing the “enormous humanitarian burden” carried by Jordan, the statement said.

“Let us not forget that they have a large number of refugees, due to the conflicts in the region, and the high number of Syrian refugees,” she added.

“Jordan is doing exemplary work and extraordinary work in a region that is very much rent apart with conflicts,” the chancellor affirmed.

Chancellor Merkel said discussions with His Majesty covered the Middle East peace process.

“We clearly commit ourselves to the two-state solution,” she noted, adding that bringing about this goal “is not only important for the people in the region, but it is important for the stability of the whole of the region”.

Discussions also covered Syria, the chancellor told reporters.

“We were one in saying that primarily what we need is a political process. It seems as if we were very close to a constitutional committee being set up under the auspices of the United Nations. A process then has to be initiated that creates a political environment that is conducive to a possible return of refugees, particularly in the region—Lebanon, Jordan, but also in Turkey. This is of prime importance to those countries,” she said.

“We also talked about the situation in Iran. I explained that we, from a European vantage point, think that JCPOA could be one possible building stone to which we ought to return, but it is true, there are a number of other burdens that are created by Iran — the ballistic missile programme, the activities in Syria, their military engagement there, and obviously, we need to discuss a number of matters,” the chancellor added.

“We are for a diplomatic process; we are trying to bring this diplomatic process forward, but over the past few days, obviously, tensions have, yet, again increased in the region. And this is why we firmly say, we stand firmly on the side of de-escalation, long-term solutions can only be found through political means,” she said.

Responding to a question on Germany’s reaction to the Israeli statements on annexation, Chancellor Merkel said the Federal Government is “committed to a negotiated international peace solution and peace settlement, in the direction of a two-state solution”.

“Any kind of annexation is always detrimental to such a process; they do not help, such moves, and that’s why we do not agree with such a policy,” she noted.

Commenting on the recent drone attack in Saudi Arabia, she said, “As regards the origins of the attacks against Saudi Arabia that we obviously condemn, we shall have to wait and see for the intelligence coming out of that. I cannot, as yet, come to a definitive position on this, but I think it all has to be seen in the overall context of tensions in the region at large.”

Commenting on this issue, His Majesty expressed Jordan’s “full support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and we hope that we can get past this conflict as quickly as possible, but from the Jordanian point of view, the security and stability of Saudi Arabia is all-important to us in Jordan”.

“All of us are working tremendously in the international community to de-conflict and bring the crisis down, because we cannot afford a Pandora’s Box scenario in our part of the world,” the King said.

Chancellor Merkel also emphasised the urgency of reaching a negotiated settlement to the Yemen conflict.

“It looks difficult, I admit, at this point in time, but we must not relent in trying to find a solution,” she said.

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat on Tuesday said that the Jordan Teachers Association’s (JTA) meetings have always been held with the minister of education, not with the prime minister. 

The minister compared stipulating a meeting with Prime Minister Omar Razzaz as a condition to continue dialogue, to “lodging a stick in the wheel”, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

The JTA on Sunday invited Razzaz for a meeting to negotiate teachers’ demands and end a nationwide strike that is now close to completing two weeks, but the government responded with its own invitation for the syndicate representatives to meet instead with a ministerial taskforce tasked with following up on the issue.

In return, the association did not respond to the government’s invitation, noting in a statement on its official social media accounts that it had met several times with the taskforce and the talks reached a dead-end every time because the taskforce was not authorised to fulfil the teachers’ demand.

Teachers launched their strike at the beginning of last week, asking for a 50-per cent pay rise that they say was promised by the government since 2014 but was never implemented.

Later on Tuesday, a government statement said that the ministerial team is prepared to meet with the JTA’s council at the Ministry of Education’s headquarters.

In the statement the government expressed its commitment to dialogue as a democratic approach to the issue that would result in agreements benefitting students, teachers and the educational process. 

“The doors are open to the JTA’s council for unconditional dialogue at any time,” the government reiterated. 

Teachers had also reiterated their commitment to dialogue to end the strike in public schools, where some 1.5 million students are enrolled, but despite both sides’ calls for discussion and mediating attempts on behalf of members of Parliament, there have been no direct talks since last week.

AMMAN — A project funded by Germany and executed by the World Food Programme (WFP) has renovated 600 schools in Jordan, entering its fourth stage with plans to revamp 200 more.

Titled “Food for Training”, the project operates in different areas of the Kingdom, including Amman, Irbid, Salt, Madaba and Maan.

According to Mohammed Zoubi, Communication Officer at NAJMAH (National Alliance Against Malnutrition and Hunger), another partner of the project responsible for implementing it on the ground, said each phase of the project lasts about five months and targets around 20 schools.

“The renovation is carried out by vulnerable members of the community, who get paid for their work. Each phase employs 700-800 workers,” he told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

Launched in 2017 and currently in its fourth phase, two new elements have been added to the project this round, which are school gardens and hydroponic plant houses, he added.

“This is both educational and practical. Hydroponic plantation is a new concept and for the students to be familiar with it is important for future employment and skill-building,” added Zoubi.

For the WFP, the project is “multi-faceted” in its benefit, according to Communication Officer Julia Mills.

“The project helps create a healthy and safe environment through the renovation of the school. It also familiarises the students with healthy food and nutrition, which is what the WFP’s work in a broader context is about,” she told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

“Then there is the inclusion of the local community through the workers, most of whom are among the most vulnerable of their areas,” she added.

The project tries to maintain a 50-50 per cent ratio in terms of men to women, and also in terms of Jordanians to Syrians.

“We try to target schools in the most vulnerable areas, which happen to be areas with a high amount of refugees,” Mills said.

Maram Zoubi, a widowed woman in her 50’s among the workers, said the project “helps her make some much-needed extra cash for herself and her children”.

She told The Jordan Times on Sunday that the project is “perfect” for her as she gets to go home at two, in time for her children’s return from their schools.

The project pays JD14 a day, and lasts for 14 days a month over five months.

Funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the project is among numerous ones receiving financial support from Germany’s 56-million-euro contribution to Jordan, according to Mills.

Ahmed Othman, a 23-year-old Syrian worker, said the project is “much more comfortable than private construction work”.

Othman “hopes there are more phases of the project” as he “has never felt as respected and valued” as he does now, he said over the phone.

AMMAN — On the occasion of the upcoming Global Climate Strike week between September 20 and September 27, Jordanian civil society organisations and activists launched a social media campaign and will organise a series of events in Amman.

A global mass day of action will take place on Friday, September 20, three days before the United Nations climate summit in New York.

“The global strike is a good occasion for us,” Fadi Amireh from Jadal for Knowledge and Culture, who is one of the organisers, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

“I think it is important to have events everywhere, all around the globe,” he said, adding “the whole civilisation is under threat because of climate emergency. It is our duty everywhere to act and to put more pressure on politicians, so that they can take the correct actions to face the crisis.”

Among the signatories are Shams Community, Green Generation Foundation, Jordan Environmental Union and the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature.

On the campaign website they write: “The accelerating climate events such as heat waves and floods that we see... are met with terrible denial and ignorance.”

“We as a civilisation have to stop our dependency on fossil fuels and design our world and our economy respecting nature,” Fadi Amireh said.

The planned activities aim to draw attention to threats to the climate and raise awareness, according to the organisers.

The week kicks off with a musical “prayerformance for Mother Earth” on Saturday, September 21. Among the other events are a night of discussion with the question: “What are the manifestations of climate hazards in Jordan and the region?” one  session in English and another in Arabic, and a climate photo exhibition.

The activities will take place at Jadal for Knowledge and Culture in Amman and other venues, according to the organisers.

AMMAN — EY Jordan has announced the launch of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Jordan award programme, under the theme “The Unstoppables”.

In its ninth cycle, the programme aims to recognise “remarkable leaders and individuals who are driven by the desire to better the world around them”, according to a statement issued by the organisers.

EY Jordan will be accepting nominations until October 7 for the Emerging EY Entrepreneur of the  Year award category, the statement said, adding that candidates may enter free of charge and obtain nomination forms by sending an e-mail or completing the online application.

To qualify for the Emerging EY Entrepreneur of the Year award category, candidates must demonstrate that they have introduced an innovative idea to the market, be owners or founders of a business (not a subsidiary or division) that enjoys stable financing either through revenue or financial backing, be directly responsible for their company’s daily operations and success, have a significant equity shareholding in their business and run a company that has been operating for over two years with a minimum of 10 employees, read the statement.

Furthermore, the business must have been either established or currently based in Jordan, or have headquarters or operations in the country, the statement said.

A distinguished panel of judges will assess the applications received based on entrepreneurial spirit, value creation, strategic direction, national and global impact, innovation and personal integrity/purpose-driven leadership, according to the statement.

“The EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Jordan programme gives us the opportunity to celebrate a very special group of determined men and women who have persevered and flourished in the face of challenges,” Waddah Barkawi, managing partner of EY for the Levant, Iraq and Libya, EY entrepreneur of the year country leader and EY Jordan partner was quoted as in the statement as saying.

The global Entrepreneur of the Year programme, now in its 33rd year, was launched to recognise the accomplishments and endeavours of exceptional entrepreneurs from around the world, the statement said, adding that the programme has grown to encompass more than 145 cities across 60 countries.

According to the statement, EY is “a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services”.

AMMAN — Scholarly interest in post-Nabataean Petra has increased during the last decades, said a Finnish archaeologist in a recent interview with The Jordan Times, adding that recent projects have gathered new information about Petra in the Crusade period.

When Crusaders came to the region in the 11th century, a monastery on Jabal Haroun, close to the ancient city of Petra, still existed, but the building was most probably partially collapsed, said Jaakko Frösén from the University of Helsinki, who spent decades studying Petra.

In 1100 the expedition led by Baldwin I arrived at the place and most probably met some monks there, the archaeologist said, adding that they were likely Greek Orthodox Christians. 

Both Fulcher of Chartres, a priest serving Baldwin I in the First Crusade, and Gilbert the Abbot, who participated in the Second Crusade, wrote in their chronicles about the expedition led by Baldwin I, with only Fulcher being an eyewitness, he said.

“Our Crusade sources do not mention the Tomb of Aaron,” Frösén noted, adding that the Tomb of Aaron on Jabal Haroun was mentioned during the 13th and 14th centuries by Jewish and Muslim chroniclers.

“In 1217, when Christian pilgrim Magister Thetmar came to Petra, there were still two monks on Jabal Haroun,” Frösén concluded.

AMMAN — As the teachers' strike has entered its second week, a number of private schools across the Kingdom have opened their doors to Tawjihi students of public schools until teachers suspend the open strike.

A number of private schools, on their websites, have welcomed Tawjihi students of government-run schools enrolled in the scientific and literary streams to attend classes for free as of September 17 outside school hours from 3:30-8:00 pm.

Embodying national and educational responsibilities towards the schoolchildren who are most affected by the teachers' strike, a number of educational initiatives have been launched since teachers of public schools started their open strike last Sunday.

To alleviate students' burdens, Zarqa's private schools, in cooperation with Zarqa Private University and the governorate's Education Development Centre, issued the "our students are our responsibility..." initiative providing the central region's students with schooling and transportation.

In separate individual initiatives, a number of teachers of public schools have given classes for Tawjihi students in a number of subjects, while refusing to teach certain courses in compliance with the decision of the Jordan Teachers' Association.

The teachers’ open strike started last Sunday and no agreement has been reached with the government regarding their demand for a 50-per cent pay raise.

The open strike was announced after a sit-in in Amman last Thursday, during which the Jordan Teachers Association 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 Fourth Circle”.

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) said that a pre-cast concrete girder slipped during its installation on Monday night on Army Street, with no injuries reported. 

The installation process was filmed, and there will be a review of all the technical measures taken in order to determine who is responsible for the error, GAM said in a statement sent to The Jordan Times on Tuesday. 

Amman Mayor Yousef Sharawbeh said that the error occurred while installing the pre-cast girder as part of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

Project Director Riyad Kharabsheh noted that traffic returned to normal after the incident was handled, according to the statement.

Later on Tuesday, during a workshop held at the Jordanian Society for Science and Culture, Shawarbeh announced that GAM allocated JD4 million this year to support the public transport sector, and the budget could increase next year. 

He said when public transport reaches the city's outskirts, it could bring development and encourage investors to build projects outside the city at lesser costs. 

GAM's strategy that was prepared three years ago and ends at the end of 2020 covers public transport, legislation development and e-transformation and investment, which Shawarbeh said are separate from daily tasks and responsibilities related to services and infrastructure. 

On public transport, he said the focus now is on the BRT's infrastructure, which will be complete at the end of next year except for the Tareq intersection area in Tabarbour due to the late floating of the tender.

He also highlighted GAM's Amman Vision Investment and Development Company's work in running 135 public transport "Amman buses" after studying daily traffic in the capital, affirming that an additional 151 buses will be added to the services this October with e-payment and accessibility for people with disabilities, in addition to having two monitoring cameras installed, one directed at the driver and payment device and the other at the rest of the bus. 

In two weeks, the three-month trial period for the Amman buses will end, the mayor said, noting that afterwards screens will be installed at the bus stops in order to indicate arrival times. 

AMMAN — Senate President Faisal Fayez and Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Tuesday separately met Qatari Ambassador to Jordan Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al Thani over means to strengthen bilateral relations in various fields and maintain cooperation and consultation on issues of mutual concern.

Highlighting the Jordanian-Qatari “deep-rooted” ties, Fayez expressed the Kingdom's keenness on building on these relations in a way that serves the best interests of both countries and the Arab world, highlighting the importance of expanding prospects of joint cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, investment and parliamentary fields.

The Qatari envoy, in implementation of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani’s directives, voiced his country's keen interest in bolstering ties with Jordan.

Qatar will put in work to activate mutual coordination, especially in light of the challenges facing the region, the Qatari diplomat said, affirming Doha’s support of comprehensive economic development projects, while reaffirming the Gulf country’s keenness on supporting Jordan.

Meanwhile, Tarawneh highlighted that the two countries’ ties are based on mutual respect, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The two sides also stressed the centrality of the Palestinian cause, with Tarawneh noting the two countries' unified stance on defending the Palestinian cause in all international arenas.

The Qatari envoy lauded the Kingdom's stances towards Arab causes, topped by the Palestinian cause.

He also expressed appreciation for the Jordanian expatriates’ competencies in Doha, highlighting their role in the development process in his country.