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AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania called for the universal and unconditional application of children’s rights, urging the world to reject “a status quo that deems some children’s suffering acceptable, based on their name, faith, or the land of their birth.”

“Whether they are missing their two front teeth or have lost limbs to war wounds, every child has an equal claim to our protection and care,” Queen Rania said. 

Her Majesty made her remarks on Monday while participating in the World Summit on Children's Rights, hosted by the Holy See at the Vatican. Following opening remarks delivered by His Holiness Pope Francis, Her Majesty spoke at a panel titled “The Rights of the Child in Today’s World," according to a statement from Office of Her Majesty. 

After thanking Pope Francis for convening the Summit, Queen Rania noted that the Convention for the Rights of the Child, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, has since become the most widely-ratified human rights treaty in history.

“In theory, the consensus is clear: every right, for every child,” she said. “Yet, so many children around the world are excluded from its promise – particularly in warzones. Worse yet, people have grown desensitized to their pain.”

Queen Rania explained that one in six children on Earth now live in areas affected by conflict, where dozens are killed or maimed each day. 

“They are robbed of every right – to life and security, but also to education, health, privacy, and protection from abuse,” she said, adding that these children are exposed to humanity’s cruelest impulses. “Our worst nightmares become their daytime.”

Her Majesty decried scenes of children’s suffering that have been broadcast worldwide on news outlets and social media, the statement said. 

“Bleeding and covering their ears after an air strike. Burned so badly their own parents can’t even recognize them. Taking in horrors that have been blurred from our screens for our protection,” she recalled.

 “Think about that. Their lived reality is deemed too graphic for even adults to watch,” she added. 

Queen Rania explained that the youngest victims of war are not only robbed of their right to childhood, but are also “expelled from the realm of childhood altogether,” as they are aged up, portrayed as threats, or dismissed as human shields.

“From Palestine to Sudan, Yemen to Myanmar, and beyond, this ‘un-childing’ creates chasms in our compassion,” Her Majesty said. “It stifles urgency in favor of complacency. It allows politicians to sidestep blame, and put narrow agendas above collective obligations.” 

Highlighting the results of a study released last December on the psychological state of the Gaza Strip’s most vulnerable children that she described as shocking, Queen Rania stated that 96 per cent reported feeling that their death was imminent. 

“Almost half said they wanted to die,” the Queen added. “Not to become astronauts or firefighters, like other children — they wanted to be dead. How did we let our humanity come to this?”

Her Majesty urged the global community to uphold its promise of “every right, for every child,” rather than differentiating between young people based on “where they fall on some artificial line between ‘our children’ and ‘theirs.’”

“Without equal application, global commitments ring hollow. Because, if a right can be willfully denied, then it is not a right at all. It is a privilege for the lucky few,” she said. 

In his opening remarks, Pope Francis underscored that the lives of millions of children are marred by poverty, war, lack of schooling, injustice, and exploitation, stressing that the deaths of children by bombs is unacceptable, according to the statement. 

“In truth, nothing is worth the life of a child,” the Pope said. “To kill children is to deny the future.”

The World Summit on Children's Rights was organized by the Pontifical Committee of the World Children’s Day, which was established by Pope Francis in 2023 to promote the Catholic Church’s mission of advocating respect for the rights and dignity of children. The event gathered distinguished voices and experts from around the world to highlight global challenges to children’s rights that require urgent collective commitment. 

The Summit was attended by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, Former Italian Prime Minster Mario Draghi, Climate Reality Project Founder and Chairman Al Gore, and Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, among others.

AMMAN — The Higher Committee for Reconstruction in Palestine delivered 4,500 tents to the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) on Sunday to be sent to the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The committee, which been formed by the Jordanian Engineers and Contractors association, has launched a campaign to support people in Gaza.

Head of the committee Ahmad Zo'ubi, said that the committee will deliver an additional 3,500 tents to JHCO next week and another 4,000 tents from China during this month, bringing the total number of tents to 12,000.

He said that these efforts are part of the committee’s commitment to supporting the steadfastness of the people of Gaza and alleviating their large-scale suffering under in coordination with various official and charitable organizations to ensure the quick delivery of aid.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, 11 February 2025, after receiving an invitation letter from the president last week, according to a Royal Court statement.

AMMAN — As Jordan grapples with historically dry winter and dwindling water resources, violations of water-sharing agreements by neighboring countries are becoming an increasingly urgent concern.

Former Water Minister Hazim El Naser, in an interview with The Jordan Times, highlighted Syria’s repeated violations of agreements concerning the Yarmouk River, which he said “can cover a large part of Jordan’s needs.”

Jordan River's largest tributary, the Yarmouk arises in southwestern Syria and flows in a southwesterly direction.

Jordan and Syria signed the 1953 Joint Arab Agreement for managing the Yarmouk River Basin with Syria (amended in 1987).

El Naser highlighted the "continuous breaches by Syria's former regime [of Bashar Al Assad] which constructed additional dams along the Yarmouk River, drastically reducing Jordan’s water supply."

“The previous regime ignored the agreement,” El Naser said, explaining that Syria built 49 dams, nearly double the agreed limit, diverting most of the river’s water."

Excessive groundwater extraction on Syria’s side has further worsened the crisis, drying up more than 12,000 wells and causing an annual loss of 180 to 200 million cubic meters of water for Jordan, he added.

“This loss is nearly equivalent to the full capacity of Jordan’s multibillion-dinar National Water Carrier Project and twice the volume of the Disi Water Conveyance Project in Amman,” El Naser noted.

The evolution of water agreements

According to the United Nations Treaty Series, the 1953 agreement was intended to promote regional cooperation, ensure fair water distribution, and support irrigation projects through the construction of a joint dam near Maqarin.

An amendment in 1987, according to the International Water Law, introduced detailed specifications for the Wahdah Dam and modified water-sharing terms. However, Jordan was left bearing the full financial burden for the dam, while Syria was granted permission to build up to 25 additional dams.

Oversight was transferred to a new commission with limited authority and no arbitration power.

Further negotiations in 2001 led to a reduction in the planned capacity of the Wahdah Dam. When construction concluded in 2005, water flow to the dam fell far short of Jordan’s expectations, according to a Fanack Water report on shared water resources in Jordan.

Diplomatic efforts and immediate solutions

El Naser called for stronger diplomatic efforts, particularly given Syria’s recent political shifts, to mitigate the economic and political consequences of these violations.

Currently, he reported that Jordan’s dams hold just 22 per cent of their total capacity, 69 million cubic meters out of a possible 366 million.

El Naser warned that Jordan’s per capita water availability, now at 61 cubic meters per year, far below the water poverty line of 500 cubic meters, is expected to decline even further.

While the National Water Carrier Project remains a long-term solution, El Naser said that its completion is still seven years away.

In the meantime, El Naser urged the rehabilitation of non-operational wells, expanding the use of treated wastewater for agriculture, and tapping into deep groundwater sources.

On the demand side, he called for public awareness campaigns to promote conservation, curb illegal well drilling, and combat water network tampering. He also suggested tax incentives to encourage the adoption of water-saving technologies.

On the supply side, he suggested rehabilitating 120 to 150 non-operational wells managed by the Yarmouk and Miyahouna water companies and redirecting 20 million cubic meters of water from drainage stations in northern Jordan toward agriculture to free up fresh water for cities.

Additionally, he proposed investing in brackish water desalination to increase available resources.

Environmental and technical challenges

Omar Shoshan, President of the Jordan Environment Union, analyzed the environmental, technical, and political challenges surrounding Jordan’s shared water resources with Syria.

“There is always an issue with shared water sources, particularly those originating in Syria,” Shoshan said, specifically referencing the Yarmouk River and Al Azraq Water Basin.

According to the Jordan Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences (JJEES), the Azraq Basin covers approximately 12,710 square kilometers, with 94 per cent in Jordan, 5 percent in Syria, and 1 percent in Saudi Arabia.

The JJEES stated that the highest elevation in the basin is Jebel El-Arab in Syria (1,576 meters above sea level), while the lowest point is in the Azraq depression, at around 500 meters above sea level.

On the Syrian side, according to Shoshan, a dam now holds much of the surface water that once flowed naturally into Jordan’s Azraq Oasis.

He added that Syria has also drilled deep artesian wells, further reducing Jordan’s share of the basin's water.

The basin’s natural recharge rate is estimated at 22 to 25 million cubic meters annually, yet withdrawals amount to nearly 65 million cubic meters per year, 40 million for agriculture and 25 million for drinking. “This over-extraction is depleting the basin and altering its physical composition”.

He criticized illegal wells, unsustainable farming practices such as fodder cultivation in the Azraq highlands, and poor reservoir management.

His proposed strategy focuses on three key areas: stronger political engagement, better domestic water management, and securing climate funding.

He also linked Jordan’s water scarcity to climate change, citing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecast that the Middle East will experience increased drought and shifting rainfall patterns, further threatening water supply and food security.

He urged the government to intensify efforts to secure funding, particularly for the National Water Carrier Project, which would requires up to JD4 billion, according to the project manager.

The ongoing instability in the Middle East continues to put pressure on Jordan's water sector. Shoshan pointed out that successive waves of migration, including 1.35 million Syrian refugees, have significantly strained available resources.

“The region’s instability has worsened Jordan’s water crisis,” he said. “In 1948, Jordan had one of the highest per capita water shares in the region. Today, it has one of the lowest in the world.”

AMMAN — The Cabinet, during a session chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, on Sunday endorsed the updated executive programme for the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV) for 2025, which began implementation in 2023.

Chairing the session, Hassan said: "The updated executive programme builds on previous initiatives with modifications made following extensive consultation with the private sector."

He noted that the reviews revealed some delayed programmes from previous years, which will be prioritised for completion in 2025, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The prime minister stressed that the programme represents a government commitment to citizens, the Parliament and media outlets.

"Its proper implementation requires sincere efforts and genuine partnership with the private sector, which has been involved since the vision's inception," he said.

Planning for the next phase has already begun, where the government is scheduled to develop the 2026-2029 executive programme during the second quarter of this year.

"We aim to complete the programme by summer to utilise it for the 2026 budget preparation, which we hope to finalise with the Parliament before year-end," Hassan pointed out.

The prime minister directed ministries to begin capital expenditure disbursement without delay and according to priorities to ensure "timely"project implementation.

He stressed the importance of integrated government operations, highlighting continued activation of monitoring units within ministries and the government performance and achievement follow-up unit at the Prime Ministry.

"We are accountable for our commitments before His Majesty King Abdullah, the Parliament and citizens. There is no room for delay or negligence," Hassan underscored.

Rafat Dasan, director of the government performance and achievement follow-up unit, briefed the Cabinet on key projects for 2025.

Dasan noted that this year concludes the first executive programme (2023-2025) of the EMV, which established foundations for subsequent programmes in 2026-2029 and 2030-2033.

The government will issue quarterly progress reports on initiatives and projects through the government performance monitoring system, available on the Prime Ministry's website, he noted.

The unit has been restructured to enhance its oversight role, with appropriate governance mechanisms established for ministerial monitoring units.

Detailed information about 2025 initiatives and projects, along with progress updates, is available on the performance dashboard at pmdu.gov.jo.

The government has also published its 2024 executive programme progress report on the same platform under the "general performance reports" section.

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Sunday met with Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. 

The meeting also underscored the strong partnership between Jordan and Slovenia and explored avenues for enhancing cooperation both bilaterally and within the EU framework, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

The two ministers discussed enhancing cooperation in several sectors, including the economy, investment, information technology, tourism, defence, and security. 

They also stressed the urgent need to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the immediate and adequate delivery of humanitarian aid across the Strip.

Safadi also commended Slovenia’s support for the Palestinian people's right to an independent state based on the two-state solution. 

He also praised Slovenia’s efforts during its tenure on the UN Security Council, where it worked to stop the aggression against Gaza and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance. 

Safadi also underscored Slovenia’s role in launching the "Friends of UNRWA" Initiative, in partnership with Jordan and Kuwait, on July 12, 2024, to support Palestinian refugees.

The discussions also touched on the situation in Syria, with Safadi highlighting the historic moment the country is facing. 

He reiterated Jordan’s commitment to supporting the Syrian people in rebuilding their nation while preserving its unity and combating terrorism, stressing the importance of creating conditions for the voluntary return of refugees.

The two ministers also agreed on the necessity of supporting Lebanon's security and stability to ensure the continuity of its institutions. 

Also on Sunday, Safadi received Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, marking his first visit to Jordan at the head of a high-level delegation representing various sectors, including investment, trade, higher education, religious affairs, commerce, and pharmaceuticals. 

The meeting focused on boosting bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in sectors such as economy, trade, politics, investment, culture, defence, security, and counterterrorism.

The two sides agreed to establish an institutional mechanism for political consultations, with the first meeting set for later this year to identify key areas of cooperation and finalize agreements to enhance bilateral collaboration.

Safadi and Saidov also signed a visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic passports, as well as a two-year bilateral cooperation programme covering areas such as international and regional cooperation, legal assistance, consular consultations, information exchange, and collaboration between research and analytical centres.

Saidov and his delegation are scheduled to meet with Jordan’s ministers of awqaf and Islamic affairs, education and higher education, and investment to explore additional opportunities for expanding cooperation in these sectors.

AMMAN — In line with Royal directives and as part of Jordan’s ongoing efforts to support the Palestinian people, the Jordanian Field Hospital Nablus team continues to provide medical and humanitarian services in Nablus city.

The hospital’s force commander  said, “The hospital remains committed to fulfilling its humanitarian and medical duties with efficiency and dedication to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters in Nablus.” 

The commander also highlighted the medical and nursing staff's dedication to delivering the highest levels of healthcare across various medical specialities, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.   

The hospital director said that since operations began on December 22, 2024, the hospital has treated 17,352 patients, performing 294 major and minor surgeries, alongside administering necessary medications and treatments.

Residents of Nablus have expressed deep gratitude for Jordan's continuous support, highlighting the enduring solidarity that reflects the strong, fraternal ties between the two countries.

The Jordanian Field Hospital in Nablus opened on November 23, 2023, and since its establishment, it has treated a total of 165,578 patients.

The hospital is fully equipped with specialised clinics, including paediatrics, gynaecology, internal medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, dermatology, ophthalmology, ENT, dentistry, and general medicine. The facility also features two major operating rooms, a minor operating room, two intensive care units, an X-ray and sterilisation lab, a pharmacy, and a 24/7 emergency department.

The Kingdom has also established two health centres in Ramallah and Jenin, serving tens of thousands of patients in the West Bank, as well as two military field hospitals in Gaza, one in the North of the strip, which was established in 2009, following the Hamas-Israel war in 2008. 

The second was established in Khan Younis in the south in November 2023 at the peak of the Israeli aggression on the coastal enclave that erupted on October 7. 

AMMAN — Local revenues increased by JD57 million in January, reaching JD817 million, compared with JD760 million in the same period last year, according to preliminary data from the monthly financial bulletin.

The government's economic measures, introduced in the final quarter of 2024 and aligned with the Economic Modernisation Vision, have played a key role in stimulating the national economy while alleviating financial burdens on citizens, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Financial performance in the first month of the year underscored the resilience of the Jordanian economy and its ability to navigate financial and economic challenges, the bulletin noted.