Day: June 18, 2023

The Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee met with Canadian Ambassador Tariq Khan on Sunday for talks over regional and global developments and cooperation. The Committee’s Chairman Khaldoun Hayna stressed the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, underlining the need for the Israeli occupation forces to halt their attacks on the Palestinian people and their right to live in peace. He highlighted the “harmony” between Jordan and Canada when handling regional and international crises and that the two countries share a common stance regarding Israel’s transgressions in Jerusalem. Jordan is experiencing significant pressure on its resources and infrastructure due to receiving many waves of refugees, the latest of which was the Syrian refugees, he pointed out. Hayna called for renewing agreements related to municipal support, training, and employment to benefit from Canadian expertise in these fields and contribute to creating new job opportunities and reducing unemployment, as well as expanding the reach of collaborations to sectors of Information technology, technical and vocational education, and religious and recreational tourism. Khan has affirmed his country’s stance on the Hashemite Custodianship of the sanctities and stated that they are in constant communication regarding the events in Palestine and the actions taken by Israel. The envoy, who described the 60-year-old Jordanian-Canadian ties as “strong,” praised the reforms led by His Majesty King Abdullah II and the recently passed laws that would advance political, economic, and administrative reforms. Canada is focusing on several topics to support in Jordan, chief of which are education, economy, and other forms of development cooperation, Khan added.

Source: Jordan News Agency

King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Namaa Charity of Kuwaiti Social Welfare Association, aimed to establish a fund named “Namaa” Charity and provide assiatnce to cover costs of treating cancer patients, who can’t afford expenses at King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC). According to a KHCF statement, the future fund’s assistance will be disbursed to treat cancer patients from Gaza Strip, and other patients of different nationalities and ages. The memo was signed by KHCF Director General, Nisreen Qatamesh, and Saad Otaibi, CEO of Kuwaiti Namaa Charity. Qatamesh valued “generous and continuous” support provided by Kuwait and Namaa Charity to help cancer patients, noting that this assistance enables KHCF to provide the “best comprehensive” treatment for patients of various Arab nationalities. For his part, Otaibi said this memo was signed based on Kuwait’s strategic development goals, to achieve (New Kuwait 2035) plan represented in high-quality health care, adding that the MoU reflects Namaa Charity’s strategic plan to realize partnerships and implement humanitarian and development projects with quality and effectiveness. Otaibi said the memo aims to treat cancer patients who can’t afford to pay treatment expenses, in implementation of the slogan of Namaa Charity: “We Care About People.” Launched more than 44 years ago, Kuwaiti Namaa Charity is a pioneering institution in developmental humanitarian work and aims to contribute to achieve social solidarity and support the poor, orphans, the sick and the needy, by providing in-kind and cash assistance.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Cabinet Sunday approved the bylaw of committees in the Jordanian Medical Council for 2023 to form an examination committee for each medical speciality and institutionalise and supervise continuous professional development through special committees. The Council of Ministers approved an amendment to the scientific research bylaw to develop education for 2023 to ensure harmony with the administrative organisation system of the Ministry of Education, which includes changing the name of the Educational Research and Development Department to the Educational Planning and Research Department. The department would be associated with the Secretary General of the Ministry for Administrative and Financial Affairs. The ministers agreed on the mandating reasons for the draft bylaw for forming a Sharia court of first instance in the Northern Badia District to enable people to “easier” access judicial services, to keep pace with urban expansion and population increase, and to organise and determine the work of the Sharia courts in Mafraq. The Cabinet approved the draft commercial account budget for 2024 and the draft budget of the National Centre for Curriculum Development for 2024-2026. The Cabinet approved the extension of a decision issued on 12/7/2022 about allowing marketing companies to import diesel through the mechanism granted to the Jordanian Petroleum Refinery Company until the end of 2024, provided that the sulfur percentage does not exceed 1,000 mg/kg. The Cabinet approved the recommendations of the Committee for Settlement of Outstanding Issues between taxpayers and the Income and Sales Tax Department.

Source: Jordan News Agency

University of Jordan (UJ) and the Amman-based Specialty Hospital on Sunday signed a joint training and academic cooperation agreement in education, training, and health development fields. The agreement, which was signed by UJ President, Nazir Obeidat, and hospital’s director general, Fawzi Hamouri, aims to develop treatment services, health education, rehabilitation and technical training, to improve the “distinguished” medical and preventive services for citizens. Under the agreement, the hospital will become an educational and training center for UJ Faculty of Medicine’s students and support joint research, especially with regard to applied studies that serve local community. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Obeidat said the agreement aims to empower UJ Faculty of Medicine’s students, enhance their capabilities, and develop their skills to provide “distinguished” medical services to citizens. Meanwhile, Hamouri said the agreement will provide an opportunity for UJ’s students to benefit from Specialty Hospital’s “high-level” training

Source: Jordan News Agency

NEW DELHI, 18th June, 2023 (WAM) — India’s Minister for External Affairs, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, has said that his country’s relations with the Gulf have “evolved and advanced” in the last nine years. Jaishankar was speaking at a special media briefing to mark nine years of the Narendra Modi government’s foreign policy since Prime Minister Modi assumed office in 2014. “Our relationships have evolved. Take the regions, the Gulf, the ASEAN, each one of these has advanced. And why have they advanced? They didn’t advance by gravity and, you know, by nature. They advanced because people worked very hard. That in these relationships, the Modi government has driven, it has put in place policies, the Prime Minister himself has led the diplomatic efforts from the front, that we have tried to find areas of agreement, of collaboration, of working together with these countries, we have tried to expand the economic base, the technology base, tried to find security partners, and we have been largely successful.” Jaishankar said the Middle East is one area where such “success is evident, if you look at the Gulf countries. “Over the past nine years, there has been a change. There has been increased political engagement and a great level of comfort. If we look around the world today and think about which countries support us, many of them are from the Middle East.” The Minister said there have been numerous high-level visits to the Gulf. In addition, he has himself visited Egypt and Tunisia, Jaishankar said, while his ministerial colleagues have been to Iraq, Morocco and Algeria. “Our engagement with these countries has increased, and our relationships have become closer through political interactions. Trade has seen significant growth in the past nine years. So, from every perspective, this region serves as an example of successful diplomacy for us,” Jaishankar concluded.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)