Day: 27 March 2024

Amman: Jordan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has experienced a substantial five-fold increase since the turn of the century, reflecting a robust economic trajectory from 1999 to 2022.

The GDP surged from approximately JD7.12 billion in 1999 to an impressive JD34.54 billion in 2022, as reported by official sources.

During the initial decade of the 21st century, the Jordanian economy witnessed a noteworthy acceleration, characterized by an average annual real growth rate of 5.5 percent between 1999 and 2008. The peak of this growth occurred from 2004 to 2008, with an average annual real growth rate of 6.2 percent.

Over the entire period spanning from 1999 to 2022, Jordan maintained a commendable growth rate of 3.7 percent, outpacing the average growth rates observed both regionally in the Arab world and globally. Throughout the years 1999 to 2009, Jordan consistently sustained real growth rates surpassing those of the global and regional averages. However, from 2010 to 2018, annual real growth rates averaged
2.5 percent.

Unfortunately, the economic landscape encountered a significant downturn during the period of 2019 to 2022 due to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, growth plummeted to -1.1 percent, marking a stark contrast to previous years. Nonetheless, signs of recovery emerged in 2021, signaling a resilient economy poised for revitalization.

Political and social affairs researcher and former minister, Hazem Qashou, attributed the accelerated growth of the Jordanian economy to various factors. Notably, investments in fixed assets such as land and real estate across numerous governorates, coupled with improved income levels including a notable four-fold increase in the minimum wage, have fostered a sense of security and stability for citizens.

Qashou cited the book “The Great Transition,” published by the King Abdullah II Fund for Development, which underscores Jordan’s ability to navigate through global economic crises while safeguarding the stability of its monetary system.

Despite th
e strides made in economic growth, Qashou acknowledged the challenges that hindered Jordan from reaching its full potential. Factors such as population growth, unemployment, and external crises including regional conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic have imposed constraints on economic empowerment and private sector development.

Furthermore, Alaa Bashayreh, a professor of Economics at Hashemite University, highlighted the impact of political and economic events on inflation rates in Jordan. Events such as the global financial crisis of 2008, the Arab Spring, and the influx of Syrian refugees have contributed to fluctuations in inflation rates, stimulating both challenges and opportunities for economic growth.

Bashayreh emphasized the intricate relationship between inflation and GDP, noting that while inflation may ignite current GDP, real output growth may lag behind. Despite challenges posed by waves of refugees, she noted their positive contribution to real production through increased investments, particu
larly in sectors such as food production.

In response to the global financial crisis, the Jordanian government implemented measures to safeguard citizens’ deposits in the banking sector until the end of 2010. Additionally, the Central Bank adjusted the mandatory reserve ratio to manage inflationary pressures, demonstrating proactive steps to stabilize the economy amidst global turbulence.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Irbid: The IEEE Computer Society, a subsidiary of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), has selected Professor Hussein Al-Zoubi, a faculty member in the Department of Computer Engineering at the Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology at Yarmouk University, as a Distinguished Contributor for 2023. This reflects his scientific contributions to the society and the profession.

Al-Zoubi said that he was selected among 28 researchers this year worldwide, explaining that the IEEE Computer Society honors members who have made technical contributions, through applied or theoretical computing, to the computing profession, the computing community, and humanity, with a significant portion of those technical contributions made through working with the society.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: Upon royal directives, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Major General Yousef Huneiti, ordered the necessary maintenance and renovation to be carried out at Prince Rashid bin Al-Hassan Military Hospital in Irbid Governorate (northern Jordan).

The army chief gave his orders during his visit to the hospital on Wednesday to see what could be improved in terms of the medical services provided to the beneficiaries of the governorate, in order to provide the best medical and therapeutic services to patients.

Huneiti was briefed by the hospital director on the current medical services provided to patients and visitors in various departments of the hospital in order to reach the highest levels of efficiency and readiness in providing all medical services.

Huneiti stressed the continued support of the General Command of the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) – Arab Army for the regional hospitals of the Royal Medical Services to perform their tasks in the best possible way.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Zarqa: The Jordanian Social Democratic Party, in cooperation with political and popular figures, organized a solidarity stand on Wednesday evening with the people of the Gaza Strip, who have been subjected to genocide, systematic starvation, and threats of forced displacement for about 6 months.

The participants in the stand, which took place in the Army Square in Zarqa (northeast of Amman) chanted slogans denouncing the unjust aggression against Gaza and raised banners demanding an immediate end to the aggression and an end to the horrific massacres and genocide committed by the Israeli occupation army against children, women, and civilians in the Strip.

They lauded the steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance and the bravery of the resistance fighters in confronting this aggression and facing it with all valor and courage.

Participants in the stand stressed that achieving a just peace in the region will only be achieved through the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and geographically contigu
ous Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital. They also pointed out the importance of the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) – the Arab Army efforts, under the directives and participation of His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein, in carrying out airdrops carrying food and medical supplies to help the besieged people.

Source: Jordan News Agency

New York: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced on Wednesday that the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers has risen to 438 since October 7, 2023.

An OCHA statement revealed that 129 of these martyrs were killed since the beginning of 2024, while about 4,700 Palestinians, including 725 children, have been injured since October 7 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The statement also reported that three Palestinians were killed on Wednesday morning in the city of Jenin and its neighboring refugee camp, one of whom was killed by live ammunition from the occupation forces, while two were killed when an Israeli drone struck them.

Source: Jordan News Agency

London: The UK strongly condemned Israel’s decision to confiscate thousands of dunams of Palestinian land in the Jordan Valley area.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) said the UK strongly condemns the recent Israeli Government announcement to seize 1,977 acres of Palestinian land in the Jordan Valley.

“The size of the area designated for seizure is the largest since the Oslo Accords, agreed over 30 years ago,” the spokesperson added in a statement on Wednesday.

“This declaration is in addition to 652 acres of land marked for seizure by Israel on 29 February, meaning 2024 now marks an unacceptable peak in land seizures,” according to the statement.

“The UK calls on the Israeli Government to halt this seizure and all others immediately. Our policy is clear: settlements are illegal under international law and only make it harder to progress to achieving peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians,” the statement concluded.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Al-Azraq: The Emirati Relief Team, affiliated with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), implemented the annual Ramadan Iftar project for Syrian refugees in the Emirati-Jordanian camp in Mrajeeb Al Fhood in Al-Azraq district on Wednesday, in cooperation with the camp administration and the relevant official authorities.

The Head of the Emirati Relief Team, Hassan Salem Al-Qaidi, expressed his and his fellow volunteers’ happiness to spend this holy month among their Syrian refugee brothers in Jordan, which hosts them due to the unstable security situation in their home country of Syria. He noted that the team had previously implemented a Ramadan Iftar project for Syrian refugees living in the makeshift camps near the camp.

He added that since the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, the Emirati Relief Team has been actively involved in charitable endeavors in Jordan, pointing out the implementation of a campaign to distribute Ramadan food supplies to the refugees in the camp and then to the poor families in th
e makeshift camps and the families registered with a number of charitable societies in coordination with the Ministry of Social Development in the Kingdom.

Volunteers from the team are also deployed daily before the Maghreb prayer call at traffic lights at vital points in Jordan to distribute light meals to break the fast.

For their part, the Syrian refugees thanked the Emirates Red Crescent and the camp administration for these initiatives that provide them with their livelihood in the month of Ramadan and make them feel safe in their second country, Jordan.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The thirteenth Ramadan lecture delivered by the revolution leader , Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, Wednesday, Ramadan 17, 1445 AH – March 27, 2024 AD.

Source: Yemen News Agency

Amman: Prices of 21-karat gold, the highest demand at the local market, on Wednesday stood at JD44 per gram as a purchasing price, against JD42.20 as a selling price.

According to the Jordan Jewelers Association’s daily bulletin, the price of 24-karat and 18-karat gold amounted to JD51.20 and JD39.30, respectively.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Speech and cultural evenings were organized in Raymah Governorate on the National Day of Resilience to denounce the Zionist-American aggression against Yemen.

The first deputy governor of the governorate touched on aspects related to consolidating faith and religious identity and promoting the values of giving and compassion, especially during the holy month.

Source: Yemen News Agency