
Jordan-U.S. Trade Volume Reaches JD 1.52 Billion in First Five Months of 2025 - Jordan News
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Jordan Times
25 minutes ago
- Jordan Times
Cabinet approves bylaws to regulate gov't committees, evaluate public sector leaders
- New administrative structure for Public Works Ministry endorsed - Proposed changes to traffic law to speed up vehicle auctions AMMAN — The Cabinet, during a session chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Sunday, approved a new bylaw regulating government committees for the year 2025. The decision is part of ongoing efforts to control public spending, enhance institutional performance, and improve governance across the public sector by regulating the formation and operations of committees and limiting their proliferation, according to a Prime Ministry statement. Previously, the Cabinet had tasked the Minister of State for Legal Affairs and the Minister of State for Public Sector Modernisation with conducting a comprehensive review of existing government committees, including the allowances granted to their members. Based on the review, recommendations were submitted to the Cabinet to introduce stricter oversight, limit the formation of unnecessary committees and regulate financial compensation based on clear justifications. The new bylaw establishes a framework that promotes good governance in the formation and functioning of committees within government institutions. It also stipulates that appointments must be based on merit, competence, and relevant expertise. Under the regulation, committee meetings must be held during official working hours unless the nature of the task requires otherwise. In such cases, prior approval from the relevant authority is required. No financial compensation would be granted for meetings held during regular working hours. For those conducted outside these hours, compensation is capped at JD100 per month. Such meetings must be justified by specific factors, such as the nature of the task, distance from headquarters, or the need for extended hours. The regulation also requires committees to submit periodic reports verifying their compliance with the guidelines, and members must declare any potential conflicts of interest related to their committee work. The Cabinet also approved a new bylaw for the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of top public sector leadership positions, pursuant to Article 6 of Government Leadership Regulation No. 70 of 2024. The new bylaw ensures transparency and equity in determining salaries for high-ranking positions and establishes a unified mechanism for salary structuring. The evaluation bylaw would apply to new leadership appointments after its enforcement and to existing positions when contracts are renewed or salary increases are proposed. A specialised committee would assess each position based on a range of indicators, including required skills, the size of the institution in terms of human and financial resources, and the scope of responsibilities. The final salary determination would be subject to Cabinet approval The new approach replaces the 2023 job evaluation bylaw and is part of broader reforms to enhance public sector efficiency and accountability, according to the statement. In line with its commitment to institutional reform, the Cabinet approved a new administrative structure for the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. The 2025 regulation aims to improve the Ministry's ability to carry out its legislative duties, promote transparency, and align its internal structure with the national public sector modernisation roadmap. The reform also aligns with the Ministry's 2024–2026 strategic plan, enhancing coordination, decision-making efficiency, and eliminating overlapping responsibilities between departments and directorates. The Cabinet approved a new administrative regulation for the Orphans Fund Development Foundation, which provides a clear internal structure, defines responsibilities, and streamlines coordination among the Foundation's various departments to better fulfil its legal mandate. The Cabinet also endorsed amendments to the internal regulations of the Geologists Association for 2025. These changes, approved earlier by the Association's general assembly, aim to address a growing financial deficit caused by a mismatch between membership fee revenues and the union's annual expenditures, the statement read. The Cabinet approved the reasoning behind proposed amendments to the Traffic Law for 2025, which would be submitted to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau for review. The amendments aim to reduce the legal period a vehicle must remain impounded before it can be sold at public auction, from 24 months to 12 months, allowing authorities to recover costs sooner and avoid depreciation of vehicle value. Additionally, the amendments would permit the sale of mortgaged or judicially seized vehicles, with creditor or claimant rights transferred to the value of the vehicle after sale. The measure seeks to protect the interests of vehicle owners, creditors, and the government alike. The Cabinet also accepted the resignation of director general of the Department of Lands and Survey Ahmad Amoush.


Jordan Times
2 hours ago
- Jordan Times
Jordan's packaging, paper, cardboard sector's exports reach 58 countries — JCI
AMMAN — Statistical data from the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) showed that Jordan's packaging, paper, and cardboard sector's exports reach 58 countries worldwide, a clear indicator of the growing competitiveness of Jordanian industry. According to figures obtained by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the sector's exports reached some JD135 million in 2024, with JD58 million recorded during the first five months of 2025. The data highlighted that the sector is one of the 'most interconnected' with other components of the national industrial landscape, serving as both a central production input for various industries and a final product widely used in the local market. Packaging inputs account for 16 per cent of total industrial production costs in Jordan, reflecting the 'heavy' reliance of local factories on this sector to maintain production continuity and ensure quality and efficiency. Of that, packaging materials alone make up 14 per cent, while stationery and printed materials represent 2 per cent, excluding raw materials. The sector supports a wide array of industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plastics, engineering, and others, making it a 'cornerstone' in boosting the competitiveness and quality of Jordanian industrial products and enhancing their presence in the local and international markets. The data also showed that the sector maintains a 'strong' presence domestically, with around 88 per cent of current production directed to the local market, generating over JD1 billion in annual sales and covering 77 per cent of total domestic consumption. These figures represent one of the highest coverage rates among industrial sectors and constitute around 9 per cent of total output in the manufacturing industries, which amounts to some JD1.14 billion annually, underscoring the sector's 'pivotal' role in the national industrial framework.


Jordan News
8 hours ago
- Jordan News
Social Security Corporation: 522 Natural Death Retirement Pensions Granted in First Half of 2025 - Jordan News
The Jordanian Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced that it granted 522 natural death retirement pensions during the first half of this year. اضافة اعلان The corporation noted that the cumulative total of natural death pensions issued up to the end of H1 2025 has reached 26,549 pensions. To qualify for a natural death retirement pension, the deceased insured person must have had at least 24 months of actual contributions, including 6 consecutive contributions, and the death must have occurred while the individual was still insured. The pension is allocated to the eligible heirs of the deceased starting from the month of death, and they also receive a funeral expense allowance of 700 JOD. The SSC emphasized that the Social Security Law also allows the heirs of a Jordanian insured person who dies outside of active coverage to receive a natural death pension, provided the deceased had at least 120 actual contributions, including 12 consecutive ones, and had not been out of coverage for more than 60 months between the last contribution and the time of death.