Jordan: Cabinet approves new regulations, says they aim to ease tourism rules, support farmers
Chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, the Cabinet endorsed the 2025 Hotel and Tourism Establishments Bylaw and the 2025 Tourist Restaurants Bylaw, both designed to improve the business environment and reduce regulatory burdens, according to the Jordan news agency, Petra.
Under the new regulations, hotels and tourism establishments will no longer require a licence to operate. Instead, they will need approval from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, which will also oversee classification standards. Licensing fees have been scrapped, easing operational costs for business owners.
The bylaw also introduces mandatory compliance with inclusive tourism standards, ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities, the elderly, and children, alongside adherence to environmental regulations.
The Tourist Restaurants Bylaw eliminates the requirement for a ministry-issued licence, replacing it with a classification or registration system. It also cancels licensing fees, aligning with the amended Tourism Law. Tourist restaurants must now meet public health and safety requirements, including regulations related to smoking and the provision of waterpipes, according to Petra.
These legislative reforms form part of the government's broader Economic Modernisation Vision, which identifies tourism as a key driver of economic growth.
In a move to bolster local agriculture, the Cabinet approved the purchase of locally produced wheat and barley, both for seed and fodder purposes, during the 2024/2025 agricultural season. Procurement will be handled by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply via the open trade account, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Jordanian Cooperative Corporation, Petra reported.
Approved purchase prices were set at JD500 per tonne for seed-grade wheat and JD420 for seed-grade barley, while fodder-grade wheat and barley were priced at JD420 and JD370 per tonne, respectively.
To ease financial pressure on farmers, the government will reduce seed prices for the 2025/2026 season by JD50 per tonne, and will cover screening and sterilisation costs, estimated at JD75 per tonne. A total of JD19 million has been allocated for the purchase of approximately 40,000 tonnes of grain, Petra said.
These measures aim to promote self-sufficiency in key crops and incentivise expanded cultivation.
The Cabinet also approved an amendment to the 2025 Building and Zoning Bylaw for the Greater Amman Municipality. The change extends a discount on unpaid building fees to buildings constructed in 2025. The aim is to alleviate the financial burden on property owners, with some fines currently reaching four times the original violation cost.
The Cabinet endorsed the validating reasons for the proposed 2025 bylaw for Greater Amman Municipality employees, which will be submitted to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau. The bylaw seeks to streamline human resources regulations, address inconsistencies in implementation, and improve municipal service delivery by enhancing staff efficiency and supporting strategic goals.
The Cabinet also approved the construction of a new access road to the planned government hospital in Madaba. The road will be implemented by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, while a parallel route will be constructed by the Ministry of Local Administration. The roads are deemed critical infrastructure for the hospital project.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Crypto funds intended for Hamas seized by US
Some $2 million in cryptocurrency assets intended for Hamas has been seized by the US government, according to recently unsealed court forfeiture documents from the US Department of Justice. According to court filings, the digital currency was held in Tether and Binance accounts connected through BuyCash, a 'Gaza-based money transfer business' allegedly involved in helping to finance Hamas. 'Terrorist organisations like Hamas and their affiliates rely on shadowy financial networks to fund their deadly operations,' US Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. 'By seizing millions in cryptocurrency, the Justice Department is aggressively dismantling the financial infrastructure of terrorism and refusing to allow our digital currency platforms to become safe havens for terrorist financing.' The court filings allege that a man named Ahmed M M Alaqad, a partial owner of the BuyCash operation, is also suspected of supporting ISIS and Al Qaeda, among other groups. Unsealed court documents accuse him of 'materially supporting Hamas' after the group's attack on Israel in October 2023. According to the DoJ, the specific method of transferring funds via digital assets likely resulted in Hamas previously receiving as much as $4 million. 'These types of money transfers are a classic money laundering technique, as they intend to disguise the nature, location, ownership, and control of the funds being transferred,' read the unsealed court filings. Despite growing enthusiasm for crypto, scepticism still abounds. Unlike fiat currencies, crypto mostly lacks an overall regulatory apparatus and is largely decentralised, making it appealing to groups with nefarious intentions. In May, a man in the US was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison after a court found him guilty of converting $185,000 to cryptocurrency and transferring it to ISIS. In March, an investigation originating from the FBI's field office in New Mexico has led to the seizure of $201,400 in cryptocurrency assets that was intended to finance Hamas.
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
ADQ completes acquisition of majority stake in Aramex
ADQ, an active sovereign investor focused on critical infrastructure and global supply chains, announced on Tuesday that it has completed its acquisition of logistics provider Aramex. Adq said in a statement that the voluntary tender offer for Aramex, submitted by its wholly owned indirect subsidiary Q Logistics Holding LLC, has become unconditional. ADQ will now become the majority shareholder in Aramex, with an ownership of 63.16 per cent of shares when combined with the shareholding held by AD Ports Group, in which ADQ holds a majority stake. This follows the receipt of all required antitrust and foreign direct investment regulatory approvals, as well as statutory exemptions and waivers from relevant governmental authorities within and outside the UAE, along with the satisfaction (or waiver) of all other conditions to the offer. The acquisition of a controlling stake in Aramex strengthens ADQ's position in the services layer of the logistics ecosystem, which includes express delivery, freight forwarding, third-party logistics, and warehousing. These functions are critical to enabling seamless trade flows and linking transport infrastructure to end users. With operations in over 65 countries, a leading trucking network in the GCC, and 800,000 sqm of global warehousing, Aramex brings scale, capabilities, and geographic reach. Its integration into ADQ's portfolio accelerates the development of a fully integrated, multimodal logistics platform that supports regional trade and economic growth. Mansour AlMulla, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of ADQ, commented: 'ADQ's majority shareholding in Aramex marks a strategic step toward advancing our vision to build a globally integrated logistics platform anchored in the UAE. Aramex brings strong capabilities and operational depth that complement our existing investments across air, sea, and land infrastructure. Its addition enhances the services layer of the logistics value chain and supports the development of end-to-end trade and supply chain solutions. We believe Aramex is well positioned to unlock long-term value through greater integration with ADQ's broader portfolio, and we are confident in its ability to deliver sustainable growth.' Aramex will become part of ADQ's Transport & Logistics cluster, which plays a central role in advancing multimodal connectivity and reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a global transport and logistics hub. The payment of consideration to Aramex Shareholders is to take place on July 25, and Aramex Shares will be registered in the name of Q Logistics Holding LLC the same day.
Zawya
5 hours ago
- Zawya
Egypt: Hassan Allam Chief Executive Officer (CEO) pays a courtesy call on Ambassador
On 20 July 2025, Mr. Ahmed Mustafa, CEO of Hassan Allam, together with Mr. Mahmoud Seliman, Marketing Advisor, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Thanawat Sirikul, Ambassador of Thailand to Egypt, at the Royal Thai Embassy. Both parties discussed cooperation in promoting trade and investment between the two countries in the residential construction, infrastructure and construction materials businesses. The company is interested in working with Thai partners to assemble products for export to Europe and Africa, where Egypt enjoys special tax privileges and is located near both major markets. The company also believes that Thailand has potential to invest in Egypt in the hospitality and tourism sectors, and is ready to enhance awareness of the potential and economic opportunities in Egypt, as well as provide advice on investment loans to Thai entrepreneurs. Hassan Allam, which is over 89 years old, is one of the largest companies in Egypt and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SCG International, a Thai conglomerate, to enter the Middle East and Africa markets in 2023. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Royal Thai Embassy, Cairo, Egypt.
