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AMMAN — The Lower House on Monday passed the 2025 electricity draft law, introducing stricter penalties aimed at curbing violations and unauthorised use of the national electricity system.

Under the new legislation, individuals found guilty of illegal electricity connections or aiding in theft of power will face prison terms ranging from one to three years, in addition to fines between JD5,000 and JD10,000,  Al Mamlaka TV reported.

The law also stipulates fines of JD500 to JD1,000 for encroachments on designated electrical easement zones, with increased penalties for repeat offenders. Property owners will be held accountable for such violations unless they can provide evidence implicating a third party.

A new provision criminalises the unauthorised storage of energy beyond limits set by the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC), with violators facing one to three years in prison or fines between JD100,000 and JD200,000.

Additionally, tampering with or removing seals from electricity meters or switches installed by licensed distributors, when done with intent to steal electricity, will carry penalties of one to two years' imprisonment and fines ranging from JD2,000 to JD7,000.

The law aims to protect the integrity of the national grid and reduce electricity theft, which continues to pose a significant challenge to Jordan’s energy sector.

The Lower House on Monday also approved the 2024 draft public statistics law and the 2025 amendments to the Civil Aviation Law, endorsing changes introduced by the Senate earlier this month.

One of the key amendments to the Public Statistics Law grants non-governmental organisations the right to conduct and publish statistical studies for their own purposes, or on behalf of others, provided they obtain prior written approval from the Department of Statistics. The Lower House ratified this provision as part of the revised bill.

During their deliberations, lawmakers also recommended that the government adopt clear definitions of statistical concepts to better delineate the roles of key institutions involved in data governance, including the Department of Statistics, the National Information Centre, and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship.

The Public Statistics Law forms a key component of Jordan’s broader economic modernisation agenda. It seeks to enhance data collection through administrative records and modern technologies while establishing a national data centre to support evidence-based decision-making with secure, high-quality and accessible information.

MPs approved the amended Civil Aviation Law, which grants the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) sole authority to approve or reject land-use plans in and around airports, a power the Lower House had initially proposed be subject to Cabinet oversight.

The House also accepted a Senate-endorsed article stipulating that all CARC-issued documents, including licences, certificates, permits, and reports, whether in electronic or paper format, are to be recognised as official.

The revised law also aims to bolster institutional governance, clarify regulatory mandates, improve aviation safety protocols, and facilitate international aircraft leasing arrangements. It also ensures that investigations into aviation incidents are conducted independently.

The Lower House also approved the 2024 draft law on the National Committee for Women’s Affairs, formalising the body’s mandate through a 13-article legal framework that ensures its sustainability, independence, and coordination with both government entities and civil society organisations.

Established in 1992, the committee plays a key role in advancing the political, economic, and social empowerment of women across the Kingdom.

During the session, Speaker Ahmad Safadi and Minister of State Ahmad Owaidi Abbadi commended the Legal Committee for its efforts in refining the draft. He also emphasised the importance of clarifying that senior appointments to the committee are made through a Royal Decree.

The Chamber also referred the 2025 draft law on the regulation of virtual assets to the Parliamentary Committee for the Digital Economy.

The proposed legislation seeks to regulate virtual asset activities, define licensing standards, and align with international norms on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. It also outlines the supervisory role of the Jordan Securities Commission over service providers, with the aim of maintaining financial stability while fostering technological innovation.

AMMAN — Minister of Water Raed Abu Soud and Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Nabil Assaf on Sunday discussed the Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East and North Africa (NENA).

The initiative aims to support strategic planning and improve water resource management, promote the use of non-conventional water sources, ensure water sustainability, enhance governance in agricultural water use, strengthen the resilience of food systems and water services to climate change, and foster knowledge-sharing through regional cooperation.

Abu Soud stressed the initiative’s “importance” in addressing Jordan’s water challenges and those facing the broader region, reviewing national efforts to safeguard water sustainability through strategic planning and the search for innovative solutions, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister noted that the initiative offers a “valuable” platform to improve water resource management and planning, promote sustainable water use in agriculture, develop technical capacities, raise awareness, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and the best practices.

He added that the ministry, in collaboration with key stakeholders, aims to implement integrated water resource management, strengthen water governance, and improve the flexibility and security of water services. 

Abu Soud pointed out that the initiative also seeks to introduce modern irrigation and agricultural technologies to advance food security and counter climate change, while reinforcing regional cooperation for sustainable water resource management.

Assaf highlighted the critical role of partnerships in confronting regional water scarcity, especially in light of challenges such as climate change, irregular rainfall, and declining water quality, all of which affect food availability across the region.

The NENA Region, already naturally exposed to chronic shortage of water, will be exposed in the coming decades to a “severe” intensification of water scarcity due to several drivers, including demographic growth, tendency to increase food self-sufficiency to reduce vulnerability to import and price volatility, urbanisation expansion, energy demand and overall socio-economic development, according to www.fao.org. 

Per capita fresh water availability, which has already decreased by 66 per cent over the last forty years, will probably decrease by another 50 per cent by 2050. 

Also, there is an “alarming” trend observed over last decades showing that the NENA Region is experiencing more frequent, intense and long droughts as a consequence of climate change, the website said.

Agriculture, which consumes already more than 85 per cent of available fresh water resources, will face “strong” challenges in keeping the same water allocation while sustaining food security and rural economy, according to FAO.

Countries in the region need to plan strategically their water resources allocation, review their water, food security and energy strategies to ensure that they are aligned with the imperative of making the best use of each single drop of water, the website added.

AMMAN — Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Lina Annab and Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department and Gulf Region at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European and Maltese Trade David Mainesfield on Monday discussed cooperation.

The Ministry highlighted that the meeting focused on enhancing cooperation in tourism and antiquities, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

Discussions also centered on activating joint programmes and projects that would serve the mutual interests of the two countries.

The meeting also addressed potential collaboration in antiquities, heritage and education.

It also aimed to foster the exchange of expertise in preservation and restoration as well as to expand opportunities for academic exchange and vocational training in tourism and cultural heritage.

Maltese non-resident ambassador to Jordan George Saeed Zamit attended the meeting.

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation upheld an October 2023 Criminal Court ruling, sentencing an Egyptian national to seven years in prison after convicting him of engaging in consensual sexual activities with a teenage divorced Syrian girl in 2023.

The court declared the defendant guilty of engaging in sexual activities with the 17-year-old minor and handed him the maximum penalty.  

Court papers said the victim and the defendant knew each other few months before the incident.

The two developed a relationship, and the defendant “went to the girl’s house on three different occasions and engaged in sexual activities with her, the court added.

The victim became pregnant and notified the defendant, who asked her not to inform her family, court papers added.

However, the victim informed her family, and they took their daughter to the Family Protection Department for legal action against the defendant, the court stated.

The defendant did not contest his verdict at a higher court.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the sentence.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment.

The Court of Cassation was headed by Judge Mahmoud Ebtoush and included judges Rizeq Abulfool, Fawzy Nahar, Majid Rafaya and Qassem Dughmi.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Sunday departed for the US on a twoday official working visit on the heels of His Majesty King Abdullah’s recent visit to Washington, DC.

During the visit, the prime minister was scheduled to hold meetings with US officials to discuss ways to boost and expand relations, particularly in the economic sector He was accompanied by Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah II received Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at Marka Airport on Sunday at the start of his two-day visit to Jordan.

Also present to receive the Indonesian president were HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, Minister of Investment Mothanna Gharaibeh, the Escort of Honour, a number of ministers and officials, Jordan’s Ambassador to Indonesia Sidqi Omoush, and Indonesia’s Ambassador to Jordan Ade Padamo Sarwono.

Royal Jordanian Air Force F16 fighter jets accompanied the Indonesian president’s aircraft upon entering Jordanian airspace.

• Agriculture projects endorsed, agreements reached with China and Morocco

AMMAN — The Cabinet, during a session chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, endorsed on Sunday draft amendments to the 2025 Real Estate Ownership Law to streamline land registration procedures and facilitate the dissolution of joint ownership.

The amendments grant expanded authority to the Department of Lands and Survey, enabling it to deliver faster, more efficient services and reduce bureaucratic hurdles, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

The amended bill introduces mechanisms to regulate joint ownership dissolution committees and provides guidelines for determining fair compensation in cases of public expropriation. It also addresses existing legal gaps by allowing companies, non-Jordanians, and legal entities to acquire property in specific unincorporated areas, which was previously restricted.

Under the new framework, legal entities engaged in lease financing will be able to obtain property permits directly from the Department of Lands and the Ministry of Finance, eliminating the need for Cabinet approval. The move aims to streamline procedures and enhance investor access to Jordan’s property market.

In the transport sector, the Cabinet reviewed the regulatory framework governing smart transport applications. Emphasising the importance of competitiveness and service quality, the Council of Ministers directed the Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC) to electronically integrate its systems with ride-hailing platforms and update licensing conditions.

New requirements will be introduced to ensure vehicle safety and enhance complaint resolution mechanisms. The government is also considering allowing ride-hailing drivers not currently enrolled in social security to opt in voluntarily, the statement said.

To support the agricultural sector, the Cabinet approved three new cooperation projects with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The initiatives focus on building farmer capacity, expanding access to markets, and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices.

One project will promote sustainable agriculture and youth employment, while another will focus on preserving native plant species. A third will improve farmers’ access to green financing, with particular emphasis on empowering rural communities and closing gender and youth financing gaps.

Additionally, the Cabinet ratified a protocol with China on the export of processed sheepskins and signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Global Farmers' Association to boost development cooperation for Jordanian farmers.

In the water sector, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Morocco to exchange expertise in water infrastructure and management. Areas of cooperation include desalination, rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, and drought mitigation strategies.

The Cabinet also approved a formal commitment document for the Aqaba-Amman Desalination and Conveyance Project, Jordan’s largest water infrastructure initiative. Once operational, the National Carrier Project is expected to deliver 300 million cubic metres of desalinated water annually, significantly bolstering the Kingdom’s water security.

On the international cooperation front, the Cabinet endorsed several agreements, including a memorandum with Qatar to enhance cooperation in social development. The agreement addresses child welfare, women’s rights, elderly care, and services for persons with disabilities.

The Cabinet also approved several senior appointments. Mazen Shahadeh Abu Baqr was named Secretary General of the Ministry of Youth, Riyad Kharabsheh was appointed Director General of the Land Transport Regulatory Commission, and Ibrahim Rawashdeh was selected to head the National Agricultural Research Centre. All three candidates earned the highest scores in the 2024 Government Leadership Selection System.