Day: June 26, 2023

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Ministry of Planning signs pound 50 million soft loan to support education in Jordan

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan and German Development Bank (KfW) Country Director in Jordan, Mark Schwiete, Monday signed a pound 50 million soft loan agreement provided by the German government to finance the second phase of a program to support the education sector in Jordan. Toukan said the funding is part of the education sector’s priorities within the economic modernization vision’s executive program for the years 2023-2025, as it aims to build new public schools and expand and equip existing schools with furniture and laboratories. She said the Ministry of Education will carry out the agreement in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works. This loan is part of a pound 100 million total concessional financing the German government has pledged to support the education sector in Jordan, as an agreement for the first phase of the program was signed in 2021 at a similar value of pound 50 million, Toukan pointed out. The minister thanked Germany, a strategic partner of Jordan, for its continuous support of the Kingdom’s development and reform efforts and helping it to face economic challenges, including hosting Syrian refugees. German Chargé d’Affaires Florian Reindel said that providing an appropriate learning environment is the key to educational success, noting that 40,000 students have benefited from the funding allocated to building schools. Schwiete said Germany recognized the challenges Jordan faces, especially in the education sector, and supports the Kingdom to overcome them, as the funding complements existing cooperation in this sector. The German government is a key partner and supporter of Jordan in terms of developmental cooperation or aid provided as part of the Syrian crisis response plan.

Source: Jordan News Agency

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FM, British counterpart talk ties, region

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi Monday discussed during a call with British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly, ways and means of expanding cooperation within the strategic partnership between the two countries. The ministers reaffirmed a common interest in forging broader cooperation in economic, trade, tourism, investment and defense fields, and reaffirmed the continuation of the two countries’ efforts to resolve regional crises and achieve security and stability. They reviewed efforts exerted to stop deterioration in the occupied Palestinian territories, and progress towards a real political horizon to achieve a just and lasting peace. Safadi reiterated that the only way to bring about peace is the two-state solution in accordance with the international legitimacy resolutions and approved references, stressing the need to halt illegal Israeli measures that undermine such solution. Safadi and Cleverly also discussed efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis and find the necessary conditions for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their country. He said the return of refugees is the solution to their plight, which necessitates starting to create the necessary environment for their return as a priority in the international approach toward refugees. Safadi also reviewed the challenges Jordan faces as a host of Syrian refugees due to dwindling international aid, stressing that the refugees’ burden is an international responsibility, not the sole responsibility of host countries. He thanked his British counterpart for Britain’s continuous support for development programs in Jordan, and aid to respond to regional crises. For his part, Cleverly appreciated Jordan’s role as a key partner in the region in efforts to bolster security, peace and stability.

Source: Jordan News Agency

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Jordan’s oil bill drops by 7.9 in first tertile of 2023

The Kingdom’s bill of crude oil, derivatives and mineral oils dropped by 7.9 percent in the first tertile of 2023 to reach JD985 million compared to JD1.069 billion in the same period of 2022, according to Department of Statistics (DoS) figures. Fuel and mineral oils topped the list of the Kingdom’s imports of oil derivatives in the first tertile of 2023, amounting to JD310 million, followed by crude petroleum with JD225 million, petroleum gases with JD222 million, diesel with JD216 million, and lubricants with JD11 million, according to foreign trade data released by the department on Monday.

Source: Jordan News Agency

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Three Palestinians arrested in the West Bank

The Israeli occupation troops arrested Monday three Palestinians in different areas of the West Bank.

The occupation forces stormed al-Dheisheh camp and Taqu’a town east of Bethlehem and they arrested two Palestinians, and they also raided Anabta town, east of Tulkarm and arrested one Palestinian, Wafa News agency stated.

On the other hand, the occupation troops broke into several villages in Jenn city and set up barriers at the city’s entrance, to prevent Palestinians from entering or leaving it.

On Sunday, the occupation forces arrested nine Palestinians in different areas of the West Bank.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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On anniversary of liberating Quneitra, people of occupied Golan determined to achieve full liberation

On June 26th 1974, the Late founder leader, Hafez al-Assad, hoisted the Syrian flag in liberated Quneitra and that came to crown the sacrifices made by the Syrian army and people in October Liberation War.

On the anniversary of hoisting Syrian flag over Quneitra, people in occupied Golan affirmed their steadfastness in confronting the repressive and arbitrary acts of Israeli occupation against them, stressing adherence to their Syrian Arab identity, and their confidence in restoring every inch of occupied Syrian Golan to the homeland and that the Israeli occupation will be defeated.

They noted that the anniversary comes this year, while people of occupied Syrian Golan are facing the Zionist war machine that is trying to seize thousands of dunums of agricultural lands in order to build wind turbines on them under the pretext of generating electricity from wind energy, but their real goal is to usurp their lands.

They stressed that just as the Late founder leader raised Syria’s flag in Quneitra, President Bashar al-Assad will also raise the Syrian flag in the sky of Golan.

One of the citizens said that after the great victories over against terrorists who waged a war against Syria, raising of the Syrian flag over the entire Golan will be achieved soon, asserting that people of occupied Golan are adherent to their Syrian Arab identity and their belonging to the homeland.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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Terrorist attack on Jourin town, its vicinity in Hama countryside

Terrorist organizations in Idleb city targeted, with mortars and drones, Jourin town and its vicinity in al-Ghab Plain, Hama countryside, a source at Hama Police Command told SANA.

The attack caused only material damage, according to the source.

Earlier, on June 22th, a drone attack by those terrorist groups targeted the residential areas in the village of Salhab, Hama with two bombs, killing a woman and a child and injuring three others.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency