Jordan: The Prime Minister of Jordan, Dr Bashar Al Khasaouna, held a discussion session today, February 19, 2023, where the Cabinet of ministers approved the justifications for the draft International Planning and Cooperation Law of 2023 AD.
According to the reports, the ‘International Planning and Cooperation’ bill comes in the implementation of the ‘Public Sector Reform Executive Program,’ which in its legislative composition stated the revision of Planning Act 68 of 1971. Â
“The introduction of amendments in the law ensures the integration of roles and responsibilities between all parties in the management of government performance in a way that ensures coherence with a budget and resource planning,” said reports.
In addition, this comes in light of no amendment to the planning law for a long time, and the consideration of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation behind the legal back of the National Planning Council, and to activate invalid legislation in the current law such as the texts of the Board of Directors of the National Planning Board and Economic Security Council.
The officials at the session noted, “The bill aims to emphasize the Ministry of Planning and Cooperation’s role as a key reference in communication between all ministries, public and private institutions, and foreign funding sources of other countries, foreign and state institutions, etc.”.
The bill includes the following:
- Adding new tasks to the work of the Ministry, including organizing the mechanism for obtaining foreign funding from donors and international non-profit associations and companies without breach of related legislative provisions.
- Developing the Kingdom’s economic policy.
- Supporting national policies in coordination and cooperation with All parties that are concerned.
Furthermore, the Ministry will also add to its tasks the task of managing the National Register of Government Investment Projects arising under the provisions of the Public and Private Sector Partnership Projects Act No. (17) of 2020.
The Ministry, under the initiative of PM Al Khasaouna, aims to follow up the update of its data to document studies, documents and reports related to government investment projects, and to lay out plans to follow up the implementation of priority economic reforms in Tunisia, noted reports.
Under the draft bill, the Ministry will be tasked with developing and preparing development initiatives of added value to the national economy, contributing in partnership with the executives to monitor and assess their impact, as well as to follow up on the Kingdom’s ranking in state reports and indicators, and to develop insights on procedures to improve it.
The reports confirmed the Cabinet also agreed on the grounds for the draft of a revised 2023 Billing and Monitoring System in view of the completion of the National Electronic Invoice Program construction. Â
“The program enables all committed agents to issue invoices to join or link to the system and unifies the foundations of the tax invoice and its requirements, whether for selling a commodity or Providing a service in exchange for allowance,” according to the updates.
The draft of the system also comes to lay out the legislative framework for the adoption of the national electronic invoicing system data instead of saving invoices on paper, eliminating the risks of saving and moving these bills.
The Cabinet of Ministers at the session approved the National Export Strategy (2023 – 2025 AD), guiding the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Insurance to take the essential measures to implement the recommendations contained in it by preparing detailed plans, determining financial needs for their implementation, as well as forming a national team and sectoral teams including all concerned parties from the public and private sectors.
Moreover, the strategy includes working on two axes first, supporting the efficiency of production and infrastructure through access to funding, quality management and technical compliance, building corporate export capacities and knowledge transfer, providing trade information, and facilitating trade and logistics services.
The second is about diversification in product markets by strengthening the regulatory and legislative framework, supporting high-value-added goods, supporting exports of services, and promoting e-commerce.
Notably, the Cabinet has agreed to extend work on its previous decision, which includes an exemption for imports of diesel and petrol octane (90, 95, 98), gas, (JET-A1) and (JP-8) from customs duties (unified figure), until the end of the current year 2023.
On the other hand, the Council of Ministers has agreed to reshape the Board of Trustees of the Hashemi Fund for the construction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Honourable Rock Dome headed by Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, and the membership of each:
– The Minister of Endowments, Affairs and the Islamic Sanctuaries, the Minister of the Interior, The Mufti General of the Kingdom, the Judge of the Judges, Abdul Rahim Al-Akkour,
– The Chairman of the Endowments Council Jerusalem Endowments and Affairs of the Holy Aqsa Mosque,
– Director General of the Palestinian Affairs Department,
– Director of the Al Aqsa Mosque and Affairs of Jerusalem in the Ministry of Endowments, Dr Wasafi Al-Kilani,
– Professor of the Full Chair to study the thought of Imam Ghazali in the Holy Aqsa mosque,
– Sheikh Youssef Abu Sanina, Financial Manager in the Jerusalem Endowments Department and the Head of the Al Aqza Mosque Department.
