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AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday met with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who was participating in the two-day Aqaba Meetings to discuss the global efforts to fight terrorism and extremist ideologies, especially in West Africa.

During the meeting, the King and the president stressed the importance of coordination and enhancing international cooperation in the war against terrorism within a holistic approach as it threatens the security of the entire world.

They also discussed cooperation between Jordan and Ghana and means to improve them in various fields, a Royal Court statement said on Sunday.

The Aqaba Meetings, whose 2017 edition started Saturday, were launched by the King to maintain international and regional coordination and cooperation in the fight against terrorism within a holistic approach, and to discuss security challenges in regions around the world that are dealing with terrorism hotspots, with the aim of identifying shortcomings and coordinating efforts to fight terrorism.

The meetings are part of His Majesty’s initiative to reach out to countries around the world and coordinate with them on this issue, since the anti-terrorism fight “must be a joint, international effort, based on close coordination and consultations, to counter the global threats of terrorism and extremism”, the statement said. 

Held with the aim of exchanging expertise and information — as well as bolstering security and military cooperation in the fight against terrorism — the latest Aqaba Meetings feature the participation of presidents of West African countries, as well as ministers from the US, the UK and France.

Senior political and security officials from European, Latin American, and African countries, and representatives from the UN, the EU, NATO, and the African Union are also attending.

The participants also include other senior officials from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Romania, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Cyprus, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Australia, India, Indonesia, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Nigeria, Mauritania, Antigua and Barbuda, Mali, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Chad, and Burkina Faso, in addition to representatives of regional and international organisations.

Over the past two years, the Aqaba Meetings featured similar discussions held by the King with heads and representatives of a number of countries in East Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Balkans.

AMMAN — The Jordan Armed Forces- Arab Army's (JAF) Military Intelligence Department has freed a Jordanian citizen, Manhal Hamdan, who has been kidnapped by armed groups in south Syria a few days ago, a source at JAF said on Sunday. 

According to the source, Hamdan is an owner of farms in south Syria and has been living there for some time. 

The kidnappers threatened and tortured the man, and they asked for a ransom to free him. The intelligence personnel have freed him and returned him to his family in Irbid. 

The source added that JAF works to protect the borders for the safety of citizens and will use all its power to prevent all harmful acts by any group.

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh called a halt to Sunday's session following a noisy protest by the majority of MPs present over the government's recent decision to hike the prices of electricity and fuel derivatives.

The lawmakers went rowdy right after Prime Minister Hani Mulki gave explanatory and defensive remarks about his government's decision to raise electricity tariffs. 

Mulki said that the fuel derivatives’ monthly pricing mechanism started in March 2008 and has been halted for some years and was then resumed in November 2012, while the new electricity tariffs went into effect on October 3, 2016.

He also explained that the new raise was not meant to generate additional income but as a compensation for the cost increase.

The premier said that, as the case has been since 2008, the increase or decrease in the prices of fuel derivatives and electric power is linked to the international oil prices, adding that, should the crude oil price per barrel exceed $100, the government will extend a subsidy to "those who deserve".

With that said, MPs began protesting loudly compelling Tarwaneh to abruptly end the session.

In the Chamber's corridors, some lawmakers said they will reject the new price hikes while others went further as threatening to move ahead with a no-confidence motion against the government if it insists on its decision.

A total of 100 deputies signed a memorandum on Sunday, linking their attendance of the House deliberations of the 2018 state budget law to a move by the government to reverse its decision to increase electricity and fuel derivatives prices.

The memo was signed following a meeting between the House Energy Committee and the government.

AMMAN — Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury on Sunday said a $475 million direct grant will be directed to support priority projects including the 2017 public budget, which will help in reducing the budget’s deficit.

“This critical and direct support to our budget will help us in bridging the fiscal gap as well as in meeting some of the expenses incurred by Syrian refugees on the budget,” Fakhoury told a press conference.

Fakhoury's remarks came during the signing ceremony of the Cash Transfer Agreement at the ministry’s headquarters with Mission Director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Jim Barnhart.

The Cash Transfer Agreement of $475 million is implemented under the Economic Support Fund for Jordan for 2017, according to Fakhoury, totalling $812 million.

“The rest of the economic support [$337 million] will be used to support economic development, the social sector and democratic accountability,” Fakhoury said. 

He expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation for the US government and the US Congress for “their continued support for Jordan”, adding that the signing of the deal yesterday “reflects the advanced level of relations between the two sides”.

The minister stressed the importance of the assistance, stating that “it has had a clear impact on Jordan's development process in various sectors”.

“USAID remains the number one donor, and, indeed, a key partner in our development, modernisation and reform processes over the years,” the official said. 

Fakhoury emphasised that the Kingdom achieved many success stories with the support of USAID, adding that “significant achievements and key reforms have been made over the past years in various priority areas, notably water, environment, health, education, private sector development, enhancing the business climate, tourism, energy, youth, good governance and poverty alleviation”.

For his part, Barnhart stressed his country’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom, citing over 60 years of long-term partnership with Jordan, which, he said, “aimed at supporting economic stability, strengthening democratic governance, and developing the delivery of basic services to meet the needs of Jordanian citizens”.

“The cash transfer demonstrates the US government’s faith in the government of Jordan’s systems and processes to achieve further gains in sustainable development and long-term resiliency,” Barnhart said.

The US official underlined that the assistance has helped Jordan provide one-third of its population, or more than 2 million people, with access to fresh water and sanitation services.  

“Healthcare services have improved for thousands of people through the renovation and modernisation of more than 400 clinics and hospitals across Jordan and 1 million students have had a better learning experience made possible through improved infrastructure and teacher training,” according to Barnhart.

Bilateral trade has increased by 800 percent following Jordan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation and the implementation of the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement, the US official noted.

Barnhart also praised Jordan’s pivotal role in reform, modernisation and comprehensive development programmes led by His Majesty King Abdullah as well as Jordan’s “great humanitarian role” towards refugees, which contributed to making the Kingdom a model for the region and the world.

“We are proud of the partnership that America has with the people of this country and their government for our mutual prosperity and security,” Barnhart concluded.

AMMAN — The government on Sunday condemned the daily break-ins by groups of Israeli settlers and occupation forces into Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Foreign Ministry sent a protest note to the Israeli foreign ministry addressing the violations.

Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani said the violations by the Israeli occupation forces and settlers against at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif constitute a breach of international laws and conventions, warning that such practices have grave repercussions.

Such violations would jeopardise the efforts to mitigate tension and threaten the status quo at the holy shrine, said Momani.

He stressed that allowing the extremists to enter the Dome of the Rock’s courtyard falls as part of the Israeli attempts to change this status quo.

The minister, who is also the government's spokesperson, called on the occupation forces to immediately cease such practices and to prevent Israeli settlers and occupation forces from entering the yards of the holy mosque. 

He stressed the importance of stopping such provocative acts and respecting the Jordanian custodianship of East Jerusalem's holy places, which was included in the peace agreement between the two countries.

AMMAN — The number of foreign patients visiting Jordan for treatment has dropped by 40 per cent during 2016 and 2017, according to a sector leader, who blamed government procedures for the decline.

However, Jordan is still leading the region as a medical tourism destination, President of the Private Hospitals Association (PHA) Fawzi Hammouri told The Jordan Times on Sunday in an e-mail interview.

"In 2015, the Kingdom received 250,000 foreign patients, however, the government has restricted the number of nationalities and required certain nationalities to obtain a visa prior to arrival in the Kingdom,” said Hammouri.

The procedure applies to Libyans, Yemenis, Iraqis, Syrians, Sudanese and a number of African countries, said the PHA chief, adding: "Unfortunately, the decision was good news for competition like Turkey, Tunisia and India”.

Currently, most visitors come from Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf countries, in addition to sevral other nationalities, according to Hammouri.

The sector contributes to the GDP by 3.5 per cent or $1 billion, Hammouri said, noting that only 35 per cent of the money patients expend goes to the medical care providers, while 65 per cent is spent on services and products provided by other economic sectors such as aviation, transport, hotels, restaurants and shopping.

Jordan has 67 private hospitals, which account for 65 per cent of the total number of hospital in the Kingdom, association figures indicate. 

Jordan’s medical sector has gained a good reputation for many reasons, including the quality of services provided at the medical facilities, which are equipped with the latest medical technology that exceeds the need of local patients and is able to absorb a large number of patients, said the president.

At present, 10 Jordanian hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission International, with five others in the process of obtaining this recognition, while 25 local private hospitals are accredited by the Health Care Accreditation Council, Hammouri said.

Also among the positive aspects that give Jordan en edge over competitors is that there are 27 doctors for each 10,000 citizens, he added, along with competitive prices and the security and political stability the Kingdom enjoys.

The most demanded specialties by foreign patients are heart and arterial diseases, obesity and cosmetic surgery, bones and spine surgeries, kidneys diseases, and sterility.

Jordan has the largest natural spa on earth, and the Dead Sea, which is the lowest point on earth, and has healing powers for many diseases such as psoriasis and pulmonary diseases and many patients come for treatment at the Dead Sea, said Hammouri. 

The association cooperates with the Tourism Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Jordan Tourism Board, which have collectively launched the Jordan Gate MEDXJORDAN, that connects between all the stakeholders in the industry.

AMMAN — The Islamic Beidha Project was launched in 2014, under the direction of Italian archaeologist Micaela Sinibaldi, to conduct excavations, surveys, conservation projects and enhance community engagement focusing on the Islamic village at Beidha studied in the broader context of the Beidha and Petra regions.

“The Islamic Beidha Project has concluded its fourth season in November 2017 and is currently affiliated with the Council for British Research in the Levant,” Sinibaldi, who is affiliated with Cardiff University in the UK told The Jordan Times in an e-mail interview.

The Islamic village of Beidha (“the white one”, a name originating from the white colour of the local sandstone), is located near Siq Al Barid, the so-called Little Petra, and it is part of the Petra region, she continued.

“The study of Islamic Beidha belongs to a broader project — The Late Petra Project, which I lead — which explores the post-Byzantine period in Petra and is aimed at filling an important gap in the history of the region by expanding research both to the hinterland of Petra and of its later periods,” the archaeologist noted.

Contrary to traditional theories, the Petra Valley was “never really abandoned”, she claimed, adding that, starting from the Byzantine period, there was a gradual movement of most of the population living inside the valley to outside areas, in search for better opportunities for water and agriculture.

“During this time, the Beidha region included several agricultural villages, because of its position under the Shara Mountains, particularly favourable for agriculture since the time of Neolithic Beidha,” Sinibaldi explained.

The landscape of Beidha during the Islamic period was composed of a network of villages, which Sinibaldi is currently working on, including the Islamic village at Baja, also dated to the Late Islamic period, whose study is currently being published. 

According to Sinibaldi, diachronic patterns of settlement can be identified in the whole Petra area, based on the analysis of their ceramics from various surveys. The insights provided by the surveys, which followed her creation of a regional ceramic chronology, now allows a diachronical analysis of the history of the Petra hinterland’ landscape.

“In the Beidha area, for example, settlement of the Late Islamic period appears more intense than during the Middle Islamic period,” the researcher said.

Archaeology at the Beidha Islamic village is of crucial importance for exploring this period in the Petra region, she elaborated, stressing that “although at this time, Wadi Musa was the main centre outside the Petra Valley, its fast, recent development makes it now almost impossible to conduct archaeological excavations in the city”. 

The rural village has been settled probably over the whole Islamic period, following a large settlement during the Nabataean and Byzantine periods, Sinibaldi argued, adding that the Islamic village at Beidha consists of clusters of habitations, largely belonging to the Late Islamic period, and of two mosques.

“Results of the 2014-2017 seasons include the recovery of a 14th century coin from Cairo, which suggests that at this time there was at least  frequentation of the village, and the study of the two mosques of the village,” the Italian scholar said.

These are the only two mosques ever excavated in Petra, and therefore an important opportunity to study the architecture of Islamic-period rural mosques in the region, she underscored.

 The use of the Archaeology of Standing Buildings on the mosques has revealed many details of their architecture, building styles and phasing. “At least one was largely decorated with painted plaster and both were built by reusing remains of former, probably Nabataean structures,” she highlighted.

“One of them, which would serve about 40 worshippers, is in a very good state of preservation and is now ready for conservation and presentation to the public,” Sinibaldi said.

As part of its community engagement programme, the project is also regularly conducting an initiative involving schools of the Petra region, in partnership with the Petra Archaeological Park, the scholar underlined.

“Future plans for the Islamic Beidha Project include carrying on excavations at the village to find out more about its structure, development and daily life throughout the Islamic period,” Sinibaldi explained, adding “they also include comparing these results with the ones from similar neighbouring sites by using same methodology of study. Finally, there are plans for fundraising for the conservation and presentation of at least the two mosques.”

AMMAN — Around 4,708 youth benefitted from the “money for training” project since its launch in 2014, 60 per cent of whom were females, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Sunday. 

President of Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition (Najmah) Princess Basma on Sunday met with a number of beneficiaries from the programme working in East Amman’s Dimlaj glassware manufacturing factory and listened to the 39 beneficiaries’ personal experiences.

The training programme aims to provide training and qualifying opportunities for young people to enter the labour market. 

After three to five months of training, during which they are awarded regular employers’ salaries, in addition to a World Food Programme (WFP) food coupon at a value of JD10, the beneficiaries become permanent employees at the establishments where they trained. 

The project, implemented in cooperation between WFP, Najmah, Vocational Training Corporation (VTC) and Princess Basma Development Centres was funded by a Japanese grant, and has secured jobs for 2,826 trainees in Irbid, Zarqa, Amman, Karak, Aqaba and the Jordan Valley with 594 establishments.

The trainees praised the programme which has enabled them to find jobs and offered them better and sustainable livelihoods.

Also on Sunday, JNCW launched the “Early for her” initiative in Zarqa, with the attendance of Princess Basma. The initiative aims to raise awareness on the dangers of underage marriage.

During the ceremony, the princess stressed the importance of such initiatives in raising public awareness about the negative effects of early marriage on society.

AMMAN — Jordan on Sunday marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PwD), under the theme “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all”. 

The Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) stressed the importance of enhancing the abilities of PwD to help them have full access to healthcare services, infrastructure and employment opportunities, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

On the occasion, which is celebrated annually on December 3, the HCD noted that Jordan issued the law on the rights of people with disabilities, the first of its kind in the Middle East, which included items supporting the rights and needs of PwD and stiffened penalties against violators of these rights.

The National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) issued a statement, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times, highlighting the importance of the day in shedding light on violations against PwD and suggesting recommendations that would contribute to curbing such attacks. 

NCHR called on all institutions to employ people with disabilities as stipulated in the Labour Law which states the need to employ at least one PwD in each institution that has 25 to 50 employees and to allocate 4 per cent of jobs to PwD in institutions with more than 50 employees.

Social Development Ministry Spokesperson Fawaz Ratrout said that the ministry cooperates with all stakeholders to present all necessary care and services to people with disabilities, according to Petra.

He noted that the ministry cooperates with the National Aid Fund that provides monthly financial assistance to 15,000 individuals, adding that the ministry presents care services to people suffering from severe mental illnesses through five centres in Jerash, Karak, Dulail, Tafileh and Ruseifa.

Ratrout added that the ministry also presents services to people with mild and medium mental illnesses through 16 branches of the Manar Centre.

In her message on the occasion, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay said that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promises to “leave no one behind”, stressing that development will not be sustainable if it is not inclusive.

She stated that progress has little meaning if it is not shared between all.

“The rights and concerns of persons with disabilities must stand at the heart of every effort to bolster the resilience of societies against the pressures of change and enable every woman and man to make the most of its opportunities,” Azoulay was quoted as saying on UNESCO website.

AMMAN — “Music is the universal language that connects people regardless of their nationality, religion, or the colour of their skin.” This is the message that the American bluegrass band Della Mae wanted to convey in its performances over the past week in Jordan, which included a jamming session with the oriental ensemble Naya and concerts in Amman, Karak, Jerash and Salt. 

Celia Woodsmith (singer), Courtney Hartman (guitar) and Zoe Guigueno (Cello) joined guest artists Phoebe Hunt and Maya de Vitry, travelling all the way from Boston in Massachusetts to represent American Music Abroad, fostering a cross-cultural, people-to-people connection by delivering America’s musical traditions to Jordanian audiences.

“We were all very excited to come here and the experience has been very positive,” Guigueno said in a roundtable held on Sunday, noting that “Jordanians were very interested in our music and the cultural exchange was very satisfying.”

Asked about the similarities between the American folk and the Jordanian traditional music, Hartman expressed that “it was very easy to play with Naya, and, even with the language barrier, there was an instant musical connection.”

“It was very satisfactory to play Jordanian songs, and to see the crowd erupting in cheers and claps as we played,” Hunt said. 

“One important thing I have learned is that you can not rely on the media to tell you how people are or live in a certain culture,” Woodsmith highlighted, noting that “the media from both countries create misconceptions that are broken down as soon as you start engaging with the culture.”

This was Della Mae’s first visit to Jordan, adding to the band’s long list of trips abroad with the aim of using music as a “unifying force”.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Brazil, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are a few of the countries the band performed in, playing concerts and collaborating with local musicians and children’s music education programmes. 

“During our travels around the world, we have been able to build deep connections with the people we met, and, while the message of peace was already in our hearts, music is the tool we use to convey it,” Hartman stated. 

“It has become a big part of our lives, and we are proud to be a part of it,” Woodsmith said about the band’s work as “musical diplomats”. 

“It has been incredible to be able to connect with people who don’t know a lot about the American culture, and to learn about their music as they learn about ours,” the singer said, expressing that “it has really opened our eyes as people and musicians, and hopefully it has had the same effect on the people we have met on those trips.”