Day: April 7, 2025

Amman: Senate President Faisal Fayez met with Malik Azmani, Rapporteur of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament and the official responsible for the Jordan file in the Renew Europe Group.

According to Jordan News Agency, the meeting focused on enhancing bilateral relations between Jordan and European Union member states, with discussions covering cooperation across political, economic, and parliamentary domains. Regional developments, particularly the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, were also addressed.

Fayez affirmed the historical and strategic nature of Jordan’s ties with the European Union, describing them as grounded in mutual respect and shared goals. He stressed Jordan’s commitment, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, to advancing and deepening these relations across various sectors.

He expressed appreciation for the European Union’s support for Jordan’s development efforts and its role in mitigating the repercussions of regional crises on the Jordanian economy. He also welcomed the European Parliament’s approval of an aid package to Jordan, underscoring the significance of enhancing economic partnership to bolster Jordan’s stabilizing role in the region and to help halt the ongoing Israeli war.

Fayez reiterated Jordan’s strategic partnership with the European Union, noting that continued joint action is essential to regional peace and stability. He highlighted the immense pressures Jordan faces due to regional turmoil, particularly its role as the largest refugee-hosting country in the world. He emphasized that Jordan bears the burden of the Syrian refugee crisis alone and will be unable to sustain the provision of essential services to refugees without sufficient international support for its Syrian Crisis Response Plan, developed in coordination with the global community.

Commenting on the regional situation, Fayez warned of the grave humanitarian and political implications of the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the occupied West Bank. He condemned what he described as an Israeli policy of extermination, ethnic cleansing, and forced displacement of Palestinians, denouncing it as unacceptable under all moral, legal, and humanitarian standards.

He urged the European Parliament, international legislative bodies, European nations, and the global community to take real and effective action to end the Israeli war on Gaza. He underscored the urgency of restoring a political horizon to end the occupation and halt ongoing aggression.

Fayez emphasized His Majesty King Abdullah II’s unwavering efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region, highlighting the King’s active regional and international engagement since the onset of the aggression on Gaza to ensure a ceasefire and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged Strip.

He called on the European Union and its parliamentary institutions to continue supporting His Majesty’s efforts aimed at establishing a political path toward ending the war and achieving a just peace based on the two-state solution and relevant international resolutions, as the only viable path to security and stability in the region.

For his part, Azmani affirmed the European Parliament’s commitment to supporting Jordan economically and financially, and its development plans to enable the Kingdom to address economic challenges. He also lauded King Abdullah’s leadership in promoting peace and security in the region and the Kingdom’s continued efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate humanitarian access.

Amman: Traffic police dealt with a series of accidents across the Kingdom in the past 24 hours that caused a fatality and injuries, and officers owed many accidents to speeding, sudden lane change, and wrong turns.

According to Jordan News Agency, officers emphasized that choosing the right time to depart can reduce traffic congestion and accidents. They highlighted that good planning and adequate sleep are crucial for enhancing road safety. The officers also reported smooth traffic flow on highways over the holidays, particularly for freight vehicles and public transport buses.

Among the reported accidents were incidents such as bags of cement falling from a truck on the Mafraq-Zarqa highway, and a truck with a cargo of corn that rolled over near Wadi al-Yutam on the Aqaba-Amman highway, which disrupted traffic temporarily. Additionally, there was a collision on the Desert Highway that resulted in one death, and a vehicle rollover on the Mafraq-Zarqa road where three people were injured and subsequently evacuated to a hospital.

Traffic officers have urged motorists to adhere to traffic rules and speed limits, avoid dangerous violations and distracted driving, and ensure student safety during drop-off and pick-up in designated spots to prevent accidents. They also stressed the importance of maintaining traffic flow for the safety of all road users.

Amman: The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) on Monday suspended trading for six companies that failed to submit audited annual financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.

According to Jordan News Agency, the ASE also confirmed the continued suspension of trading for three additional companies through the unlisted securities market.

These companies have previously failed to submit past financial disclosures within the set timeframe, did not pay their dues to the ASE, and bankruptcy filings. They have also not provided the required audited statements for the most recent fiscal period.

The ASE stressed that compliance with financial disclosure requirements is essential to ensure transparency and maintain investor confidence in the market.

Amman: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordan Armed Forces- Arab Army (JAF), Major General Yousef Huneiti, met on Monday with President of the Saudi Arabia National Defense University, Major General Muhammad Al-Ruwaili, to explore prospects of joint military cooperation and training.

According to Jordan News Agency, the meeting focused on enhancing coordination between JAF and the Saudi Armed Forces, particularly in academic, research, and training domains, aligning with the strategic visions of the military institutions of the two Kingdoms.

Huneiti emphasized the deep and strategic partnership between Jordan and Saudi Arabia, highlighting its impact on strengthening military capabilities and preparedness across various sectors.

Al-Ruwaili commended JAF for their continuous modernization and development efforts and reaffirmed the importance of forging stronger academic and research ties between the two military establishments.

The meeting was attended by senior military officers and the Saudi military attach© in Amman.

Amman: Non-Jordanian investors purchased JD13.6 million in shares at the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the month of March, 11.8 percent of the total trading volume, and sold shares worth JD15.6 million, according to bourse data.

According to Jordan News Agency, from the beginning of the year through the end of March, foreign investors bought shares worth approximately JD49.9 million, representing 13.1 percent of the total volume. During the same period, they sold shares valued at JD47.5 million. Arab investors were the predominant force in foreign trading in March, with purchases amounting to JD12.7 million, accounting for 93.3 percent of total non-Jordanian purchases. Non-Arab purchases totaled JD0.9 million, or 6.7 percent. On the sales side, Arab investors sold shares worth JD14.4 million (92.1 percent), while non-Arabs sold JD1.2 million (7.9 percent).

By the end of March, non-Jordanians held about 47.6 percent of the total market capitalization of listed companies on the ASE. Institutional investors, including companies, institutions, and funds, accounted for 33.3 percent of total holdings, the figures showed. Arab investors’ shareholding stood at 31.5 percent of market capitalization, while non-Arab investors held 16.1 percent. Sector-wise, foreign ownership reached 50.7 percent in the financial sector, 22.8 percent in the services sector, and 52.4 percent in the industrial sector, according to the data.

Amman: Jordan took part in the extraordinary session of the Economic and Social Council at the ministerial level, held at the General Secretariat of the Arab League and chaired by the Kingdom of Bahrain. The session convened in preparation for the fifth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, set to be held in Baghdad, Iraq, this May.

According to Jordan News Agency, Jordan’s delegation was headed by Economic Advisor at the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Jordan, Counselor Muhannad Gash. During the meeting, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector at the Arab League, Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, highlighted the significant challenges facing the Arab region. She pointed in particular to the continued inhumane practices of Israel, the occupying power, against the Gaza Strip and other occupied Palestinian territories, as well as the severe repercussions of these actions on Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. She noted that armed conflicts and instability in several Arab countries have seriously undermined development progress.

Abu Ghazaleh reviewed key items on the draft agenda of the upcoming summit, based on the outcomes of the senior officials’ meeting held a day earlier. Topics include water security in the Arab region, the Arab stance for the Second World Summit for Social Development, the impact of technological advancements and artificial intelligence, food security, the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, completion of the Arab Customs Union, solar energy development, investment in human capital, and initiatives to improve health and education in schools and universities. The agenda also covers the economic and social empowerment of women.