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AMMAN — Yarmouk University and the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) initiative Naua on Wednesday signed a cooperation agreement providing students with access to volunteering projects organised by partner institutions through the “Nahno” online platform. 

As per the agreement, Yarmouk University students will be able to create their own accounts on the Nahno website, while the university will work to facilitate sharing the primary data of student volunteers through a page “unique” to the university on the Nahno site, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

Additionally, Yarmouk University’s e-community service system will feature a shortcut to Nahno as an additional option available to students.  

The agreement was signed by Yarmouk University President Zeidan Kafafi and Naua CEO Ahmad Zu’bi, according to Petra. 

During the signing, Kafafi expressed appreciation for the efforts of HRH Crown Prince Hussein, his support to Jordanian youth and launching initiatives that fulfil their ambitions and motivate them. 

He lauded Naua’s role in embedding a culture of community service and introducing the youth to various volunteering opportunities available across the Kingdom, through Nahno, with the aim of making a positive impact and achieving sustainable development across all sectors.

Zu’bi highlighted Naua’s dedication to enhance its partnerships with universities and educational institutions as a key partner in supporting youth and their involvement in community volunteering. 

DEAD SEA — Societies will not achieve their aspirations if they do not empower women in all fields.

This was the key message that Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat stressed during the closing session of a three-day conference on Wednesday that was held at the Dead Sea titled “Innovative Approaches to Women’s Empowerment”.

“There is still a long away for women to achieve their goals in this area and it is our role to work on empowering women and amending the wrong values that could hinder their advancement,” Ghunaimat told some 150 activists and leaders participating from countries of the region and the US. 

The key, Ghunaimat stressed, is “to believe in our demands and unite as civil society and governments so we can move forward”.      

The minister added that other steps to be adopted include focusing on amending legislation “that allows economic violence against women and work on the media to eliminate all stereotypical images that are sometimes published in the media outlets”. 

The Women as Partners in Progress (WPP) conference, which is being held at the Hilton Dead Sea Convention Centre, included panels from each partner organisation, which highlighted their accomplishments and the results of their contributions to the empowerment of women in their countries.

The activists and leaders gathering at the Dead Sea aimed to discuss the outcome of a two-year project that focused on increasing women leaders’ knowledge of gender roles and women’s rights in Jordan, Morocco and Kuwait.

The event was organised by the Gibran Chair at the University of Maryland (GCUM) as part of the WPP initiative. It aims to identify and advance key issues that affect women’s daily lives and to amplify the voices of women leaders in the three countries, according to a statement by the WPP. 

Director of the GCUM May Rihani also presented an inspiring speech at the closing ceremony stressing that the societies will not move forward if women are not empowered.

“If we do not work in a united manner and support each other and provide a solid action plan, the society will not advance,” Rihani said.

Rihani added: “We know we can break barriers and we need to continue… no barriers are unbreakable and we need to continue the struggle to ensure a better life for the younger generation.”

The WPP, which started in late 2017 and is a project funded by the US Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), aims to promote women’s leadership and gender-inclusive policies working with partners in Morocco, Jordan and Kuwait, according to the WPP statement.

In addition to the three delegations from Jordan, Morocco and Kuwait, representatives from six other Arab countries were attending, including Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and the West Bank and Gaza, the WPP statement added. 

Head of the Jordanian delegation Mayyada Abu Jaber, who is the CEO of World of Letters, said the work on addressing issues related to women’s participation in the labour market will continue.

“We will continue to work on legislation related to sexual harassment at work and other topics related to women’s economic empowerment,” Abu Jaber said in her closing remarks.

Meanwhile, President of the Legislation and Opinion Bureau Fida Hamoud, the first woman to be assigned to this post, pledged to work on amending legislation in favour of increasing women’s participation in all forms of professions.

“I hope that through my post I will be able to contribute to working on all the laws that affect women’s lives in Jordan, especially laws related to women’s empowerment,” Hamoud, a former senator, stressed.

MEPI Programme Director Rita Stephan concluded by urging the participants to continue the journey of activism saying: “We owe it to the next generation to leave our own legacy.”

“We should not depend on one person, one leader or one issue. We should unite our efforts and expand the circle of resources to include men as our allies, and the private sector,” Stephan said.

Arab women are truly change makers, Stephan added, saying, “I want to challenge you to make the year 2020 an even  bigger year for women in terms of gaining more achievements in this region.”

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Wednesday met with Kenya's National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi over bolstering joint cooperation and the latest regional developments.

Safadi pointed to the importance of building on the outcomes of His Majesty King Abdullah's meetings with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to further increase coordination over the latest regional and international developments, mainly countering terrorism, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

He also expressed the Kingdom's keenness on building relations with Kenya in various fields, mainly political, economic, investment and trade, as well as in the fields of pharmaceutical industry and medical tourism.

Talks also went over the role of the two countries' legislative authorities in activating and institutionalising communication through Jordanian-Kenyan parliamentary friendship committees. 

The two sides lauded the Jordanian-Kenyan "distinguished" level of defence and security cooperation in terms of combating terrorism.

Muturi also cited the important role of the Aqaba meetings in rallying the efforts of the international community to establish a holistic approach to combat terrorism. 

Safadi, during the meeting, showcased the Kingdom’s economic advantages, drawing attention to its strategic geographic location, which presents a gateway to Africa, and touching on the means of boosting trade exchange through the Aqaba port and Kenya’s Mombasa port.

The Palestinian cause was at the forefront of discussions, which also went over the status quo in Syria, according to the statement.

Also on Wednesday, Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Musa Maaytah met with Muturi, with the two voicing both countries’ aspiration to enhance relations and exchange expertise in various economic, tourism and cultural fields, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Maaytah said that Jordan always seeks to develop regulations related to political parties, in a way that can serve the political life and build a foundation for establishing parliamentary governments.

For his part, Muturi called for moving forward with cooperation and exchanging expertise in various fields, mainly at the partisan and parliamentary levels.

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Wednesday backtracked on a decision requiring online shoppers to submit an application through the Jordan Customs Department’s (JCD) e-platform before proceeding with their purchases, designating the condition as a responsibility of express shipping companies instead.

Earlier this month, the Cabinet made a decision under which online shoppers would have to visit www.customs.gov.jo to fill in the necessary data, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Under the decision, online shoppers would have also had to use their name to authorise the entry of the purchased products for personal use, paying JD5 for each order up to JD50 and JD10 for each order between JD50 and JD100, without exceeding the annual cap. 

The Cabinet’s earlier decision also slashed the annual cap on custom-exempt online-bought clothes, shoes, foodstuffs and children's toys from JD2,400 to JD500. 

Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Muthana Gharaibeh explained that Wednesday’s decision was reached during a meeting that brought him together with Finance Minister Ezzeddine Kanakrieh, JCD Director General Abdelmajid Rahamneh in addition to representatives from express shipping companies and Innovative Jordan company. 

The government was receptive to the “constructive suggestions” provided by Innovative Jordan and shipping company representatives, Gharaibeh said, in light of its endorsement of recent measures to regulate online shopping. 

The meeting resulted in an agreement, under which express shipping companies will cooperate directly with the JCD. 

The accord will also organise the process of shipping online-bought parcels, according to Petra.

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Tuesday discussed means of broadening joint cooperation and the latest regional developments with Albanian Acting Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Gent Cakaj.

In implementation of a Jordanian-Albanian memorandum of understanding, the two sides agreed during the meeting on activating the political consultations committee, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The Albanian official commended the Kingdom's vital role in bolstering regional security and stability under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, expressing his country's keenness on furthering bilateral ties in various fields.

Cakaj also cited the important role of the Aqaba meetings in rallying the efforts of the international community to establish a holistic approach to combat terrorism.  

Terrorism is a common enemy that does not belong to any civilisation or religion and contradicts the values of peace and respect of others that Islam calls for, Safadi said, highlighting the Kingdom’s efforts in this arena.

Talks also went over the latest regional developments topped by the Palestinian cause and the Syrian crisis, according to the statement.

The Albanian minister extended an invitation to Safadi to take part in the 2019 Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Mediterranean Conference, scheduled to be held in the Albanian capital Tirana next month.

AMMAN — The Senate’s Legal Committee on Tuesday endorsed 2019 amendments to the 2019 Social Security Law, while rejecting an article granting deputies and senators retirement benefits.

During the meeting, chaired by President of the Legal Committee Senator Kamal Barham, the committee passed the bill as referred from the Lower House, but rejected an amendment that makes members of Parliament eligible for old-age, disability and death insurances upon their request, with deductions calculated according to their monthly stipends.

The Senate, next Thursday, is expected to deliberate over the bill and the committee's decision, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Lower House on Sunday passed the 2019 amendments to the Social Security Law, raising the age of early retirement for men to 55 from 50, provided that each member has rendered at least 21 years of service, while the earliest age women can get their benefits is 52 with at least 19 years of service. In the current law, women can retire at any age as long as they have subscribed to social security for 19 years.

Another major amendment to the new bill allows Jordanian subscribers to dip into their social security savings to cover the costs of their children’s higher education or pay for medical treatment expenses for themselves or members of their families.

Experts criticised on Sunday the amendment granting pension benefits to parliamentarians, arguing that allowing them to become subscribers to the SSC’s insurances will put more pressure on the institution, especially since most are already covered.

Economist Mazen Marji said that MPs “are not employees, they are public servants, and thus they should not receive extra benefits or receive retirement based on their service at the Lower House or the Senate”.

MPs and senators should use the optional subscription and pay for it on their own while in office and even after, Marji added.

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an October Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to five years in prison after convicting him of molesting a child in June of 2018.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of molesting the 14-year-old girl in June on three different occasions in one of Amman’s neighgbourhoods and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court papers said the defendant and the victim became friends through social media.

 “Their relationship developed and they started seeing each other in person,” court documents said.

 The defendant “took the victim to an empty apartment near her home on several occasions and molested her,” according to court transcripts. 

“The matter was exposed when the victim was reported missing by her family,” the court verdict added.

Upon examining the victim by forensic specialists at the Family Protection Department, it was determined that DNA evidence “found on her body and clothes belonged to the defendant”.

The victim’s family refused to drop charges against the defendant, according to court transcripts. 

The Criminal Court’s attorney general had asked the higher court to uphold the sentence against the defendant stating that the court had abided by the proper legal procedures when sentencing the defendant.

The defendant, through his lawyer, contested the court’s ruling arguing that he “should be declared innocent because the criminal court prosecutor failed to present any solid evidence that would implicate his client”.

“My client was interrogated by the authorities without the presence of a lawyer and his confession should be nullified,” the lawyer argued.

However, the Cassation Court ruled that the Criminal Court’s judgement fell within the law, that the proceedings were proper and that the sentence given was satisfactory.

“The scientific evidence clearly points to the defendant and the investigation procedures were done in accordance with the law,” the higher court ruled.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi, Naji Zubi and Bassim Mubeidin. 

AMMAN — An Arab forum on the reconstruction of Arab countries affected by conflict, organised by the Arab Union of Free Zones (AUFZ), kicked off on Tuesday.

The forum tackles an array of Arab economic issues and the investment opportunities available to aid the countries damaged by conflict, in addition to Jordan’s role as a regional “commercial destination and logistical gateway” as well as a crossing point for goods heading to other Middle Eastern destinations, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

“The forum represents a seed for strengthening fraternal relations between Arab countries, and enhancing the role of the Arab economy and its self-reliance,” Finance Minister Ezzeddine Kanakrieh said. 

The minister noted that Jordan has the necessary qualifications to contribute to the reconstruction process in conflict-affected countries, citing the role of specialised human resources and the expertise of the private sector. 

Kanakrieh proposed the establishment of an Arab and international fund built on the expertise and relations of Arab countries, which would focus on reinvigorating the region. 

“Arab countries are now mainly concerned with restoring Arab unity and internal development,“ Secretary General of the Council of Arab Economic Unity Mohammed Rabea said, stressing the importance of relying on stakeholder countries’ natural resources.  

Jordan Free and Development Zones Group Chairman Khalaf Hmeisat, who is also chief of the AUFZ, explained that the event is being held during a phase of rebuilding and development for the region, adding that Jordan’s “moderate stance” has given it a chance to boost bilateral trade and provide safe crossing points for reconstruction materials to pass through. 

AMMAN — The Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) this week launched a new paper titled “Regional Responses Regarding the Integration of Europe’s Recently Arrived Arab Diaspora/Shataat" to address the difficulties facing the new Arab Diaspora. 

The paper is the third in a perspective series published as part of ARDD's efforts to address the issue of Jordanian youth's emigration and shed light on what Jordanians who are hoping to emigrate might face abroad. 

In the series’ second paper titled "Jordanian Youth and Their Decision-Making Processes Regarding Their Future", ARDD cited the Arab Democracy Index survey conducted by the University of Jordan's Centre for Strategic Studies (2018-2019), which showed that 45 per cent of Jordanians are considering migration.

In the series’ third paper, ARDD calls for increased participation of civil society entities of the Arab region in promoting the integration of Arab newcomers in European countries in a way that does not diminish their identity and cultural heritage and contributes to combating exclusion, racism and xenophobia.

The paper also touches on the difficulties faced by newcomers in Europe as a result of alienation from their families and local policies forcing them to abandon their cultural identities and assimilate to host communities rather than integrate and enrich them.

ARDD highlighted how Jordan is safe for its own citizens and is a better haven for refugees in spite of its limited resources, attempting to demonstrate that emigration might not bring the desired stability and peace that many Jordanian youth expect. 

However, there is the possibility of a positive transition, the paper showed in a review of the Antaga Project, which is sponsored by ARDD as part of its efforts to build bridges of dialogue, with the aim of supporting Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Sweden.

The Antaga Project demonstrates both refugees' positive participation in their communities in Sweden through cultural activities and their ability to simultaneously preserve their cultural identity to prevent further dispersion of their families and alienation from their heritage.

Ultimately, the paper stresses the importance of cooperation and exchange of experiences among regional organisations, particularly in regards to cultural context and societal backgrounds.

Moreover, it shows how this cooperation further develops intercultural and intra-cultural dialogue, raising the awareness of both migrants and host populations concerning the need for collaborative efforts in achieving cultural enrichment and social cohesion.

AMMAN — Indonesian Ambassador to Jordan Andy Rachmianto on Tuesday said that the Jordanian-Indonesian diplomatic relations are "strong" and "solid", noting that the two countries next year will be celebrating their 70-year anniversary of relations.

During a press conference on the occasion of Indonesia's national day, the envoy said that Amman-Jakarta trade volume reached $300 million at the end of 2018.

Indonesia is the 20th largest trading partner of Jordan, he added, highlighting that Indonesia is working towards achieving $500 million in trade volume by 2020, as Jordan's investment in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-populated nation, reached some $3.84 million in the first half of this year.

Jordan is the fourth largest investor after the UAE, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Rachmianto said, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Touching on tourism, the diplomat said that the number of Indonesians who visited Jordan stood at 45,000 in 2018, which makes Indonesia the fifth largest tourist group after American, British, Turkish and German tourists, in comparison to 5,700 Jordanian tourists to Indonesia.

He also expressed his country's support to Jordan’s pivotal role under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah in backing the Palestinian cause and the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as in representing the true image of Islam to the world.

Reiterating Jakarta's support to the Palestinian cause, the envoy said: "Our solid and unwavering support to Palestine will continue until they achieve their independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

"Since the last decade, Indonesia has granted some $12 million to 2,000 Palestinian officials and non-officials through capacity-building programmes," he said, adding that "to help generating their economies, the Indonesian government recently imposed a zero-tariff policy for olive oil and dates imported from Palestine."

Talks also went over Indonesia’s achievements in various fields, with expectations that the country will be the fourth largest economy by 2050, after China, India and the US.

The envoy also highlighted his country's successful presidential election with the participation of 180 million voters, noting that "Indonesia has become the third largest democratic country, with strong political stability."

Meanwhile, board members of the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) discussed the prospects of bolstering the two countries' economic ties with an Indonesian economic delegation, headed by President of the Indonesian-Jordanian Business Council Mayra Andrea.

The Jordanian side affirmed that the Kingdom is seeking to increase Jordanian exports worldwide, mainly to Indonesia, to bolster the national economy, according to an ACI statement.

Andrea, for her part, invited the chamber to take part in the Indonesia-based trade exhibition, scheduled to be held during this year, to showcase Jordanian products; mainly olive oil, dates and Dead Sea products.