Day: March 14, 2024

Amman: Prime Minister Dr. Bisher Khasawneh affirmed pride in the government’s accomplishments and its objective policy to deal with all the difficult issues, files and challenges it has faced and its capability to avoid their negative effects and repercussions on Jordan and the citizen.

In an interview with the “Friendly Fire” Show, which was broadcast Wednesday evening on Amman TV, moderated by Dr. Hani Al-Badri, the FM said the gov’t is continuing to “spread positivity,” adding that it has “realistic” goals to achieve within the comprehensive modernization project led by His Majesty King Abdullah II and supported by His Highness Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II.

The PM said Jordan’s economic performance over the past two years was proceeding according to plan before the last quarter of 2023.

Jordan succeeded by using “prudent and non-populist” policies to distance its economy from the negative effects and repercussions that affected multiple countries in the region and the world, he said.

Additional
ly, the premier confirmed that the government completed the executive programs for the modernization paths to move forward with “confidence and stability” in the comprehensive modernization program led by His Majesty on the political, economic and administrative paths.

Khasawneh said: “We were able to provide 89,000 job opportunities in 2022, as well as 46,000 jobs during the first half of 2023, compared to an average of 50,000 jobs annually created during the period between 2010 and 2020, the maximum of which was 68,000 jobs.”

The Prime Minister affirmed that Jordan’s unemployment rates decreased by 2.7% during the year 2023, reaching 21.4%, compared to 24.1% during the year 2021 and 22.8% during the year 2022.

The PM reiterated the government’s commitment to “true” partnership with the private sector and empowering it within a legislative, “stimulating and encouraging” environment.

The government, he said, restructured the electricity tariff, which saved JD50 million, most of which was directed to suppo
rt the industrial sector’s competitiveness.

Source: Jordan News Agency

NEW YORK: A global stocktaking on sustainable energy will take place on 19th April 2024 under the auspices of the UN General Assembly. It will be a major opportunity to accelerate action and strengthen multi-stakeholder partnerships, towards achieving clean and affordable energy for all — Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) — as well as the aims of the Paris Agreement on climate change, according to a UN statement.

Mandated by the General Assembly and scheduled as part of the Sustainability Week organised by the President of the General Assembly from 15th to 19th April, the overarching goals of the global stocktaking are to review the progress achieved at the conclusion of the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (2014-2024) and to raise ambition while accelerating actions toward SDG7. This includes catalysing innovative solutions, investments and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

The global stocktaking builds upon the momentum generated by the high-level dialogue on energy in 2021, aiming to further a
dvance progress on SDG7 within the 2030 Agenda and achieve a just and inclusive energy transition. One avenue for action will be expanding the over 200 Energy Compact voluntary commitments, totalling over US$1.3 billion in investments and commitments through 2030, that have been made in connection with the high-level dialogue on energy and in its follow-up, supported by UN-Energy.

Also, among the key questions to be addressed is determining appropriate institutional arrangements beyond the UN Decade for continuing international cooperation on energy.

In preparation of the global stocktaking, regional and thematic consultations will be conducted as to generate technical inputs. These consultations will include online multistakeholder consultations, virtual expert meetings, and written inputs from Member States, the UN statement said.

Source: Emirates News Agency

NEW DELHI: India’s Cabinet today gave ex-post facto approval for an Inter-Governmental Framework Agreement (IGFA) with the UAE on enabling the operation of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

The agreement was signed on 13th February in Abu Dhabi during the visit of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE.

The aim of the agreement is to enhance bilateral relations and to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the ports, maritime and logistics sectors.

‘The IGFA includes areas of cooperation between the two countries with the objective of exploring further potential of future joint investment and collaboration in respect of development of the IMEC,’ an Indian Cabinet announcement said after the approval today.

‘The agreement contains detailed framework for cooperation between the two countries. Such cooperation will be based on a set of mutually agreed principles, guidelines and agreements consistent with the relevant rules and regulations of the jurisdiction
of the two countries,’ the Cabinet said.

The proposed establishment of IMEC was announced at the 18th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Group of Twenty (G20) in New Delhi in September.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: l Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider, and e and UAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

According to the MoU, e and UAE will become the first telecom operator to partner with Yahsat under its Direct-to-Device (D2D) strategy.

The collaboration includes exploring various initiatives and projects concerning Yahsat’s planned D2D ecosystem to enable voice, texting, and data satellite connectivity for standard smartphones. Through this partnership, e and UAE and Yahsat will work together on a range of innovative projects aimed at revolutionising satellite connectivity.

Ali Al Hashemi, Group CEO of Yahsat, said, ‘We are delighted to announce our MoU with e and UAE, a leading global telecom operator, as the first of many agreements we hope to reach with key industry players under our D2D strategy. We are discussing many areas where we aim to collaborate, such as developing the ecosystem of our recently launched D2D strategy, Project
SKY.’

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO of e and UAE, said, ‘This partnership with Yahsat unlocks a new era of global connectivity. We are proud to be the first operator to join Yahsat’s D2D vision and leverage our networks to bring seamless, anytime-anywhere connectivity to people everywhere. This is a significant step towards bridging the digital divide and realising our shared vision of a connected future.’

The partnership will see the two companies join forces on Yahsat’s planned Low Earth Orbit (LEO) D2D system. This system is designed to provide seamless connectivity, including voice, texting, and data, for standard smartphones. This technology will offer unprecedented levels of connectivity and accessibility for users around the world.

The collaboration is the latest step in implementing Yahsat’s D2D strategy, which aims to empower standard smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices with advanced satellite capabilities within an ecosystem of services and applications that can be accessed anywhere
in the world.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi, is participating in the UAE Reading Month, which is held annually in March.

The centre is organising a comprehensive cultural programme of events and activities for people of all ages.

As part of the programme, the Centre is organising sessions dedicated to culture, literature, and dialogue, featuring an elite group of writers, thinkers, and poets.

Additionally, the programme encompasses other activities, including the “Khazanat Al Kutub” initiative designed to enrich participants’ cultural and intellectual knowledge, promote the Arabic language, nurture a love for reading, and highlight the importance of books and their role as an essential tool for human development.

Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said, “The UAE Reading Month is a significant cultural and developmental initiative. Reading plays a crucial role in building and advancing human knowledge and is an essential pillar of soci
al development. The Reading Month, with its distinctive activities, highlights the country’s commitment to developing a culture of reading. Each year, events are organised to connect all members of society with the Arabic language through books to improve knowledge and understanding across society.’

The ALC is organising a “Library Treasures Event” session, to be hosted by the Children’s Library at the Cultural Foundation and Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi on 23rd and 24th March. This event will feature reading sessions for unique cultural publications from “Khazanat Al Kutub’ and will create dedicated platforms for books across various shopping centres in Abu Dhabi, to increase the visibility of books and enrich the cultural experiences of members of the community. The session will feature dedicated workshops led by Haya Al Qassim and Maryam Al Jassmi on drawing, Arabic calligraphy, and handicrafts.

The ALC will host a virtual workshop for members of the Ministry of Interior. The workshop aims to introduc
e them to the Specialised Libraries Department website and guide them through the process of subscribing, searching, and targeting the databases available on the platform. The Specialised Libraries Department team will lead the session and will address all aspects pertaining to the website.

The Centre will organise an Arabic Calligraphy session where calligrapher Ismail Al Hosni will share his experience and discuss the history of the artform. He will also highlight the UAE’s role in preserving the art of Arabic calligraphy and its tools internationally. Additionally, the session will emphasise the significance of poetry in terms of its aesthetics and status. To celebrate World Poetry Day on 21st March, the ALC is organising a poetry evening. This event will feature a group of poets who will showcase the beauty of Arabic poetry and language, and underline the important role of poets in creating innovative and profound literary compositions.

To promote reading and encourage the habit of reading among the peo
ple of the UAE, the Cabinet has declared the month of March as the National Reading Month every year in support of the Ministry of Culture’s initiatives.

Source: Emirates News Agency

BUCHAREST: The number of Romanians producing clean energy has increased exponentially in the past two years, reported AGERPRES, the national news agency of Romania.

‘In 2021, 13,600 prosumers were registered. In just two years, the number has grown exponentially. Today, there are more than 120,000 Romanians who have installed photovoltaic panels and produce clean energy, which they supply to the grid,’ the agency quoted the organisers of an energy forum in Bucharest as saying.

Freedom House Romania is organising on Thursday the Energy Forum event, where Romanian and foreign experts, representatives of authorities and private companies will debate the implications of the European Union’s ‘green’ objectives.

Although change is rapid, green energy development is still in its infancy in Romania. There is increasing talk of energy cooperatives, where citizens share the renewable energy they produce. Large investors are developing photovoltaic panel farms and wind farms with increasing power production, they not
ed.

But the transition to green energy is not an easy step and cannot be achieved without conventional sources, the organisers of the event said in a press release.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Amman: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, on Thursday, visited the Royal Jordanian Command and Staff and the Royal Jordanian National Defense Colleges.

Huneiti listened to a briefing regarding the two colleges, covering their goals, study programs, and national mission in addition to their expansion plan.

Huneiti expressed his admiration for the two colleges’ and their students’ exceptional performance.

He emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the experiences, skills, and opportunities that the two institutions offer to students, as this will have a beneficial impact on the quality of strategic planning given the changes and difficulties Jordan’s national security is currently facing.

Source: Jordan News Agency