Khaberni - The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the European Union recently held the fourteenth meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Democracy, and Good Governance, within the framework of the partnership agreement between Jordan and the European Union for the year 2002, and the partnership priorities for the years 2021–2027, under the strategic and comprehensive partnership that was signed last January.
During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to enhance human rights, the rule of law, good governance, equality, and non-discrimination, affirming their joint commitment to moving forward with these values, which form the cornerstone of their strategic and comprehensive partnership.
Jordan reviewed during the meeting the developments in the path of political and judicial reforms, including efforts to develop party life and enhance political participation of women, youth, and underrepresented groups, while the European Union confirmed its ongoing support for Jordan's political modernization agenda.
The two parties agreed to continue discussing the recommendations of the European Union's election monitoring mission, and the European Union renewed its support for ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing the independence and efficiency of the judiciary, through the existing cooperation programs between the two sides.
In a related context, both sides emphasized the importance of freedom of expression and providing a safe civil space, considering them fundamental democratic values, affirming the necessity to provide an enabling environment for civil society organizations to operate independently, and discussing in this context the Cybercrime Law that was approved in August 2023.
The two parties affirmed their commitment to continue working on promoting gender equality, combating discrimination, and enhancing the rights of vulnerable people, including persons with disabilities.
The European Union commended Jordan's efforts in implementing the law on the rights of persons with disabilities and following up on its relevant international commitments, including the Amman – Berlin Declaration.
The European Union valued Jordan's leading humanitarian role in hosting large numbers of refugees, especially Syrians, reaffirming its commitment to continue supporting refugees and the host communities.
Both parties renewed their principled positions on the death penalty and affirmed the importance of ensuring the absolute prohibition of torture, indicating their determination to enhance bilateral cooperation and explore joint initiatives at the regional and international levels.
They emphasized the importance of multilateral efforts in preserving the international order based on rules, respecting international law and the Charter of the United Nations, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
The meeting was chaired on the Jordanian side by the Director of the Human Rights Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, Ambassador Saja Al-Majali, and on the European side by Head of the Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria section in the European External Action Service, Alessio Cappellani.
