Day: May 29, 2023

Lebanese Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, on Monday welcomed in Yarzeh, Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari. Discussions reportedly touched on the means to support the military institution in light of the current circumstances. Maj. Gen. Aoun also received Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Yasser Alawi, accompanied by the Embassy’s Military Attaché, Brigadier General Ahmed Abdel Maqsoud. They discussed cooperation relations between the armies of both countries. The army commander then received a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the region.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Fertilizers and garments have topped Jordan’s exports list during the first quarter of 2023, bringing in JD358 million and JD298 million, respectively. According to foreign trade data issued by the Department of Statistics (DoS) on Monday, other exports included raw potash valued at JD197 million, phosphate at JD142 million, chemical products at JD132 million, pharmaceuticals at JD104 million, and other materials worth JD744 million. Jordan’s total exports in quarter one of 2023 increased by 8.8 percent to JD1.975 billion compared to the same timeframe in 2022. Meanwhile, imports during the same period amounted to some JD4.513 billion, up 5.6 percent. Top imports during this year’s first three months were crude oil at JD758 million, vehicles and motorcycles at JD332 million, machinery at JD297 million, jewelry at JD237 million, electrical appliances at JD203 million, chemicals at JD197 million, and other materials estimated at JD2.489 billion, according to the figures. According to the data, there was a 4.9 percent rise in the trade balance deficit between January to March 2023. The deficit reached JD2.395 billion, surpassing last year’s JD2.283 billion for the same period.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The recent downpour has channeled Jordan’s dams with 30 million cubic meters (mcm) during the past 24 hours, raising the total storage in dams to 132.8 mcm (47.33 percent) out of their total capacity of 280.7 mcm, according to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. A statement released Monday by the ministry said precipitation rose to 125.3 percent from Jordan’s long-term annual average of 8.1 billion cubic meters, constituting 158.9 percent of the total rainfall last year. The southern Aqaba governorate experienced the highest precipitation of 59.2 millimeters in the last 24 hours, it added.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Romania, Bogdan Aurescu, emphasized on Monday the significance of the ongoing development in bilateral relations across various crucial sectors, particularly the trade exchange, which saw a significant increase of roughly 58% in 2023. During a telephone call, the ministers explored avenues to further advance the friendly ties between their countries, aiming for wider scopes of cooperation that serve shared interests and build upon their prior collaboration. Additionally, the ministers deliberated on regional issues, with a particular focus on the Palestinian issue and the Arab effort to contribute to a political solution for the Syrian crisis. They also agreed to keep coordinating their focused initiatives aimed at addressing local crises and advancing security and stability.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Georgian Ambassador in Amman Zaza Kandelaki emphasized the crucial role Jordan played under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II in achieving peace and stability in the region. At a press conference on Monday celebrating Georgia’s national day, he said Jordan and Georgia are eager to maintain their excellent relations and collaborate to enhance them further while building on previous accomplishments in diverse areas. He underscored the significance of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s visit to Jordan last year, during which the foundation stone was laid for a Georgian cultural center in the Baptism Site that garnered the support and interest of Georgia. The Georgian Cultural Center helped cement Jordanian-Georgian ties and attract more Georgian visitors for religious tourism in Jordan, stated Kandelaki, adding that the new center will encourage about 100,000 annual Georgian visitors to Jerusalem to pay a visit to Jordan. Pointing to occasional direct flights between the two countries, Kandelaki said, “We seek to organize regular flights to enhance economic cooperation and tourist exchange since Georgia is a top tourist destination for Jordanians.” He said that there are many common factors between the two countries in that they both play a pivotal role in achieving security and stability in the Middle East and Caucasus regions while also enjoying security and stability themselves. The envoy stated that the economic cooperation between the two sides is currently limited and falls short of their ambitions, but there is potential for growth and development as they work towards advancing their collaboration. In response to a question, he stressed the importance of the Palestinian and Israeli sides returning to the negotiating table to reach a step-by-step political solution.

Source: Jordan News Agency