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Steering Committee

Second Steering Committee  Meeting, Component 1 “Parliamentary Support” 

EU-funded project ‘EU support to Jordanian Democratic Institutions & Development, EU-JDID’ held its second steering committee meeting session for component 1 “Parliamentary Support” on Monday, 19th of March, 2018 at the House of Representatives (HoR) premises.

 

The meeting aimed to follow-up on the implemented activities during the past six-month period and discuss the upcoming planned ones as agreed by the EU-JDID project and the HoR.

 

His Excellency Firas Adwan - Secretary General of the HoR, inaugurated the Steering Committee meeting by expressing the importance to look back at what has been accomplished and discuss significant topics and concerns to ensure the smooth implementation of activities.

 

HE highlighted the concrete and tangible achievement of the 150 EU- funded computer tablets that were handed by the Project to the HoR in September 2017. He reaffirmed that the use of tablets has a positive impact on the internal management. In particular, tablets have reduced the use of paper, thus leading to a significant reduction in the cost of printing materials. Moreover, the tablets have facilitated the access to content and information to all MPs, such as agendas, drafts laws, announcements, researches and many more.

 

Mr. Ibrahim Laafia, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Jordan, expressed that the EU remains committed to support democracy in Jordan by providing the needed support to the HoR, other Jordanian institutions and national civil society organisations. Mr. Laafia indicated that EU-JDID project is structured to deliver a multifaceted support to enhance national democratic governance at large.

 

EU-JDID Programme Coordinator, Mr. Pinto Teixeira reaffirmed the readiness of the Project to support the HoR in achieving shared goals and objectives, by implementing activities oriented toward tangible and meaningful results.

 

Mr. Johan Hommes, Head of Component one “Parliamentary Support”, EU-JDID, provided a comprehensive overview of the main activities implemented from September 2017 to March 2018, which included:

  • The delivery  of 150 tablets,
  • The participation of research staff at International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions conference,
  • The support to the development of the environmental policy,
  • The organisation of budget training for HoR staff etc.

 

In addition to this, Mr. Hommes announced the main upcoming activities for the year 2018, such as, the development of a series of trainings and seminars for different HoR’s departments, the finalisation of a staff handbook, the development of the Human Resources policy and the organisation of study visits for MPs and HoR staffers. During 2018, EU-JDID also foresees to support the development and the establishment of an online library and to enhance HoR website.

HE the Secretary General highlighted the importance of the close collaboration between EU-JDID and the HoR. He expressed that on the base of mutual shared goals and sound activity plan, the results will contribute to meaningful achievements.

 

EU-JDID encompasses three components (Parliamentary Support, Electoral Assistance and Support to the Political Party System) that are implemented by the consortium-led by the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES). The Consortium is composed of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) and French Agency for Media Cooperation (CFI). All the consortium members are part of the EPD. The fourth component of EU-JDID (Support to the Civil Society Organisations), is implemented by the Spanish Cooperation Agency, AECID.