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AMMAN — The two Houses of Parliament on Sunday submitted their replies to the Speech from the Throne, which His Majesty King Abdullah delivered on November 15, marking the beginning of the 17th Parliament’s ordinary session. 

In their replies, the Senate and the Lower House said the Speech from the Throne represents a roadmap for all Jordanians to develop and strengthen the country and achieve the envisioned reform and democratisation process.

The Speech from the Throne was "of profound implications, presenting well-defined guidelines for a prosperous Jordan that has been able to transform challenges into opportunities", Senate President Faisal Fayez said in the Upper House's reply. 

In his speech, the King underlined that Jordan has succeeded in turning challenges into opportunities by adopting a comprehensive roadmap seeking to achieve progress, sustainable development and a better future for Jordanians.

Fayez stressed that Jordan has demonstrated a unique model of security and stability in a region marred by violence and bloodshed primarily due to the solidarity between Jordanians and their leadership.

As part of its commitment to reforms and democracy, Fayez said the Upper House has passed the decentralisation and municipalities bills, which, as instructed by His Majesty, are centred around enhancing public participation in decision making.

Fayez also pledged swift efforts to endorse the draft elections law, which he described as the cornerstone of reform, explaining that senators’ reading of the law will focus on its contributions to enhancing  democracy and improving parliamentary work towards ultimately arriving at parliamentary governments.

Expressing appreciation for the King’s directives to the government to draft a law on the establishment of a Jordanian investment fund, Fayez pledged constant cooperation with the Lower House to achieve the project. 

“The time has come for the government to present draft legislation to your esteemed assembly that establishes a Jordanian investment fund. This fund should attract investments from banks, Arab sovereign wealth funds, private sector enterprises and individuals, targeting national developmental and pioneering projects that yield benefits to the national economy as well as those contributing to the fund,” the King said in his inauguration speech.

Presenting MPs’ replies, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh said the King’s Speech from the Throne outlined the mechanism to achieve reforms and democracy, and upgrade Jordanians’ living conditions. 

Tarawneh added that Jordan has moved steadily and gradually towards achieving reforms depending on inclusive approaches that enabled the Kingdom to transform challenges into opportunities despite the surrounding dangers.

He also pledged that the House will work to endorse the draft elections law in a way that guarantees a just representation of all segments of society and ensures a strong boost to reform and democratisation.

Quoting His Majesty’s statement that improving citizens’ living conditions is the top priority, Tarawneh said it is time to liberate the national economy from all obstacles hindering its growth and prosperity, explaining that the move towards a self-sufficient economy requires better productivity tools and stronger public-private sectors partnerships. 

In the Speech from the Throne, the King stressed that economic projects the government seeks to implement are primarily centred around improving citizens’ living conditions, adding that achieving sustainable growth and a productive economy should be at the heart of any economic endeavour.

Tarawneh also commended the King’s unaltered positions on Palestine, Jerusalem, Syria and terror, pledging MPs’ full support to Jordan’s policy on regional and international issues. 

AMMAN — The Lower House-based "Mubadara" initiative on Sunday said it is working on forming a political current to run in the next parliamentary elections as a cohesive body with well-defined programmes.

Marking almost two years of "institutionalised" partnership with the government, the group's leader, Deputy Mustafa Hamarneh, said it has pushed for achieving a set of objectives of an executive and social nature.

Defining Mubadara as a "home-grown democratic movement", Hamarneh said the 15-member initiative is being formed into a new political group within the Lower House with efforts under way to be then transformed into a "full-fledged political current to run in the next parliamentary elections".

"Our achievements will be the resume we submit to voters," the Madaba deputy said.      

Launched in December 2013, the group formed a partnership with the government after agreeing on certain short- and long-term policies to address various challenges facing the country.

In its first report, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times, Mubadara said it presented an "unprecedented political approach" based on partnership with the government with the aim of achieving well-defined programmes.

"Mubadara is a manifestation of the positive engagement with the government and the institutionalised practice of politics to achieve certain objectives," the report said.    

Listing its achievements, Mubadara said in the report that its "positive engagement" with the government has resulted in reprioritising public spending to better serve education, public transport and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).  

Mubadara said it has succeeded in convincing the government to increase allocations for public universities from JD57 million to JD72 million; for the Transport Ministry from JD85 million to JD98 million; and for SMEs to JD70 million, up from JD24 million.  

As part of its belief in civil rights, Mubadara said it has adopted the cause of citizenship rights for the children of Jordanian women married to foreigners, saying it will continue coordinating with the government to resolve the issue. 

Mubadara also said that enhancing the public transport, energy and tourism sectors are among its major strategic objectives, noting that the government has not yet responded adequately to a set of demands it raised addressing tax evasion and controlling expenditure at public agencies.  

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday stressed that the Palestinian cause still represents the essence of conflict in the Middle East.

In a letter sent to Fodé Seck, chairman of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, King Abdullah said as long as no permanent and just solution to the issue is reached, achieving peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the region will continue to suffer from lack of security and stability.

With no peaceful solution to the conflict, violence, extremism and terrorism will continue to threaten everyone, the King warned in the letter he sent to Seck on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty commended the committee's efforts over the years, saying it has had a great effect in mobilising international support for the Palestinian people and cause, and bringing attention to the tragedy and the humanitarian suffering that Palestinians face.

He also stressed that the continuous Israeli violations and attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif and attempts to change the status quo in Jerusalem hinder endeavours aimed at reviving the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, the King stressed, are a red line for Jordan, noting that the Kingdom will continue shouldering its religious and historical responsibilities towards the entirety of Al Haram Al Sharif.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday met with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, who is chairing his country's delegation to the 21st session of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, France.

At the meeting in Paris, the King and Prince Salman, who is also the deputy supreme commander of the Bahrain Defence Force, discussed the latest regional developments, mainly those related to the crisis in Syria and the war on terrorism, according to a Royal Court statement.

They also reviewed Jordanian-Bahraini relations, according to the statement.

King Abdullah arrived in Paris earlier on Sunday to participate in the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference.

His Majesty is scheduled to deliver Jordan’s speech at the conference and meet several international leaders, according to the statement.

HRH Prince Feisal was sworn in as Regent in the King’s absence.

The conference, held with the participation of 147 leaders and country representatives, aims at reaching a “binding and ambitious” agreement for all countries to combat climate change, in addition to outlining national contributions to deal with this challenge according to each country’s capability.

Paris is hosting the conference between November 30 and December 11.

Participants are scheduled to discuss several developments related to climate change.

The Kingdom was among the first countries to ratify the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1993, the statement added.

Jordanian institutions exerted “major efforts” to build national capacities to document greenhouse gas emissions and launch the first national policy to deal with climate change in cooperation with the UNDP.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday received a ministerial delegation from Canada and discussed ways for the international community to support Jordan in hosting Syrian refugees, a Royal Court statement said.

At the meeting with Canadian National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum and Health Minister Jane Philpott, the King highlighted the burdens borne by Jordan in hosting 1.4 million Syrian refugees and providing basic services and relief to them. 

His Majesty commended the Canadian government's support for Jordan, especially within the scope of hosting Syrian refugees to enable it to continue its humanitarian duty towards them.

Talks at the meeting, held at the Royal Court and attended by HRH Prince Feisal, also covered recent regional and international developments, particularly efforts to combat terrorism and extremism.

In addition, discussions addressed Jordanian-Canadian relations and the need to build on the outcome of His Majesty's visit to Canada earlier this year to enhance cooperation.

The Canadian ministers commended the King's efforts to enhance bilateral relations and his role in boosting security and stability in the Middle East.

They also lauded Jordan's response to the Syrian crisis despite economic challenges, voicing Canada's support for Jordan in bearing the resulting burdens. 

The Canadian government announced earlier that it intends to host 25,000 Syrian refugees from Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey in coordination with the UNHCR, according to the statement.

King’s Military Adviser and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben, Interior Minister Salameh Hammad and Canadian Ambassador to Jordan Bruno Saccomani attended the meeting. 

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour met separately with the delegation and discussed the repercussions of the Syrian crisis, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

At the meeting, attended by Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani, the delegates said Canada will work on receiving 10,000 refugees by the end of December and 15,000 by the end of February 2016.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) board of trustees has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi government to support the foundation.

Under the memo, the Saudi government is renewing its donation to KHCF by offering a grant of $400,000 to cover the treatment of a number of Syrian cancer patients, according to a KHCF statement released on Sunday. 

From the Saudi side, Yousef Bin Ibrahim Al Bassam, vice chairman and managing director of the Saudi Fund for Development, signed the memo. 

HRH Prince Talal, the King’s special adviser, Prince Khalid Bin Faisal Al Saud, ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Jordan, and HH Princess Dina Mired, KHCF’s director general, also attended the signing ceremony.

“The contribution of the Saudi government is a continuation of the support that it has been providing to Syrian refugees in host countries who are suffering from the consequences of war and who are in dire need of healthcare and treatment,” the KHCF statement said.

Princess Ghida expressed her deep gratitude to the government of Saudi Arabia for its generous support. 

“On behalf of many Syrian cancer patients and their families, we thank the Saudi government for its generous donation and support. This donation will allow these patients to continue their life-saving treatment at the King Hussein Cancer Centre,” the statement quoted her as saying.

The donation goes to the KHCF’s Syrian Goodwill Fund, which provides financial assistance to underprivileged cancer patients who cannot afford the costly and long treatment.

AMMAN — Jordanians gathered outside UNDP’s premises in Amman on Sunday to urge the UN agency to revise its contracts with the G4S security company. 

Participants demanded a boycott of the British-Danish security company because it is “conspiring with the Zionist occupation”, said Fadia Husseini, a member of a Jordanian group representing local institutions and individuals that organise boycotts against companies and products linked to Israel. 

“[G4S] provides security services for the apartheid wall, for security checkpoints, and for a number of prisons and detention centres where many people are imprisoned, including children,” she told The Jordan Times during the protest.

Five UN agencies — UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNOPS and WFP — use G4S services, according to a statement from the event’s organisers. 

Husseini explained that the protesters hope to put pressure on the security company to terminate its collaboration with Israel, starting with its branch in Jordan and extending to its headquarters in the UK.

“The surprising thing is that the UN, which we perceive as a place that protects human rights, is employing this company to provide safety for a number of agencies affiliated with it either in Jordan or abroad,” she said.  

The activist added that Jordan is participating in a global campaign on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which was marked on Sunday.

Juman Ismail, who participated in the demonstration, said their event is only one of several happening on the same day that seek to achieve the same goal.

“We want to send a message to the guards and employees working in Jordan that we are not against them and we hope they will be part of our struggle to put pressure on their company,” the 23-year-old told The Jordan Times. 

Ahmad Basheer, another participant, said the demonstration aimed to make more people aware of how G4S cooperates with Israel by providing it with guards and equipment at prisons where “the rights of Palestinian children and Palestinians in general are violated.” 

Such events are important because they express the views of people whose voice is not always heard, he added.

In a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times, US-based grass-roots activist group CODEPINK said the UN purchases “more than $22 million in G4S contracts each year”.

“Today, on November 29, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Palestinian human rights organisations joined by over 220 solidarity groups, trade unions, human rights organisations and migrant solidarity groups from around the world renew the call and urge the UN to cancel its contract with G4S,” the statement said.

AMMAN — Jordan is scheduled to conduct an experiment in cooperation with Thai experts to make artificial rain in the vicinity of King Talal Dam in early 2016 as part of efforts to increase precipitation in the Kingdom, according to Mohammad Samawi, director general of the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD).

The experiment will be conducted in partnership with the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

The JMD has already floated tenders to purchase the necessary chemicals for the rainmaking experiment, Samawi told The Jordan Times on Sunday, noting that it has allocated the necessary funds to purchase the required equipment.

Jordan, one of the world’s water-poorest countries, will benefit from Thai technology in rainmaking to boost the dam’s storage levels and increase water channelled to crops in the Jordan Valley, he said.

“Thailand has a long and solid experience in rainmaking and there is top official support from the country to the project in the Kingdom,” Samawi added.

Jordan tried making artificial rain on its own between 1989 and 1995, but the experiment failed as the airplane and equipment used for this purpose stopped functioning and the project faced several challenges.

The Thai technology was developed in 1969 by King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand who holds an international patent on the rainmaking method, which involves introducing certain chemicals in cloudy areas to “seed” the clouds with increased moisture that would eventually result in precipitation.

In 2009, Jordan received permission from Thailand to use the technique. 

According to official figures, 91 per cent of the Kingdom’s total area of 97,000 square kilometres is arid land with an annual average rainfall of 50-200 millimetres (mm), while 2.9 per cent is categorised as semi-arid with an annual average rainfall of 400-580mm.

Water per capita in the Kingdom is 88 per cent below the international water poverty line of 1,000 cubic metres annually, according to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

The available water resources in Jordan offer 800-900 million cubic metres of water annually, according to the Water Ministry, which says that this amount caters to the needs of only 3 million people. 

AMMAN — UNICEF is committed to enabling all children on Jordan’s soil to access education and learning, but both the Jordanian government and the UN agency do not have enough financial support from the international community, UNICEF Representative to Jordan Robert Jenkins said.

Jenkins told The Jordan Times in a recent interview that UNICEF has been working in the Kingdom for more than 50 years, long before the Syrian crisis and “we are and will be partnering with Jordan for Syrian refugees.”

“We are committed to supporting all children in the country,” Jenkins stressed.

UNICEF has managed to contribute $31.8 million of its aid appeal of $46 million under the Jordan Response Plan for this year.

The Ministry of Education also has a $27 million gap in funds needed to continue providing education until next June for the 143,000 Syrian children who are enrolled in public schools.

However, the financial gap, if not addressed for both the ministry and UNICEF, will affect the future of more than 200,000 Syrian children in Jordan, with 77,000 of them currently out of school.

In addition to the 143,000 Syrian children who attend school, UNICEF, in cooperation with the local community, has established Makani (my space) centres that provide informal education for refugees in Jordan. 

Currently there are 152 Makani centres across the Kingdom, including in refugee camps, and the target is to reach 220 centres by the end of this year.

Makani is a comprehensive approach through which UNICEF provides life skills training, non-formal education and protection services for vulnerable children. 

So while these children cannot access the school system, UNICEF works with the ministry to provide them with other forms of learning.

“Over time, we would like to see all children [enrolled] in the formal school system, but in order for all children to be learning and have access to school, the school system has to expand and because of how quickly the refugee population is expanding, it takes time, requires infrastructure support, hiring teachers and a significant amount of resources,” Jenkins explained.

However, the funding shortfall remains an issue.

“Currently, there are not sufficient resources from the international community and the government of Jordan is fulfilling a global public good by providing services to Syrians,” the UNICEF official said, adding that the crisis is a global one and the Kingdom’s generosity is unparalleled.

He stressed that the international community needs to do more for education and other sectors in order for Syrian children in Jordan to realise their right to education.

“So, there is a financial constraint and the global community has to do more,” Jenkins added 

The financial gap, not only affects the education programme, as there is a funding shortfall in all other UNICEF programmes, including health and sanitation, “which we continue to fundraise for”.

“We are optimistic that we will be able to raise additional resources because of the importance of addressing the very vulnerable kids for the future growth of a country and the region as a whole,” Jenkins noted, adding that when Syrians go back home, they need the skills to rebuild their country and the global community should recognise that.

AMMAN — Public Security Department (PSD) personnel have detained more than 1,700 young men in 6,800 security campaigns this year to curb loitering outside girls’ schools, PSD Operation Department Director Brig. Gen. Fakhri Bani Domi said Sunday.

PSD personnel referred them to the administrative governors, Bani Domi added in a PSD statement, explaining that the police can only refer detainees to the administrative governor when there are no official complaints. 

Noting that the PSD director calls for following up on such negative phenomena, especially gatherings in front of girls' schools, he underscored that the security campaigns will continue, implemented by PSD cadres in plainclothes. 

Earlier this year, the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) urged authorities to install surveillance cameras outside girls’ schools to address the issue of “roadside Romeos”.

As part of its campaign to push the Education Ministry to take action in this regard, the JTA carried out an online opinion poll on whether surveillance cameras would prevent young men from loitering near girls’ schools.

The JTA said 68.8 per cent of respondents believed such a move would be effective in addressing flirting and harassment.