Amman, June 17 (Petra) – The Cabinet approved the validating reasons for an amending draft law of the Christian Communities Councils Law for 2026, alongside a comprehensive overhaul of judicial expert regulations, major sanitation grants, and new clean energy agreements.

Christian Communities Councils Law Amendments The amending draft law inserts specific clauses into Article 4 of the original legislation to clarify personal status jurisdictions within ecclesiastical courts. The draft explicitly delineates the mandate of the Christian Communities Councils in alignment with Christian religious tenets and the Jordanian Constitution to safeguard personal status rights.

Initiated through a proposal by the Council of Church Leaders in Jordan and coordinated with Christian members of the Senate and Parliament, the amendment establishes that – notwithstanding any other legislation – matters of marriage, divorce, wills, and adoption are classified under personal status for Christian communities and remain governed by their respective ecclesiastical laws.

Additionally, Article 10 will be adjusted to stipulate that relevant statutory laws apply when regular or ecclesiastical courts review cases involving immovable property located in the Kingdom, whether left with or without a will. Existing legal positions established prior to the enforcement of these provisions remain unaffected.

Judicial Expert System Reform The Cabinet also approved the validating reasons for the 2026 Judicial Expertise Regulations Before Regular Courts. The draft aligns with the Economic Modernization Vision and the national digital transformation strategy to modernize institutional frameworks for expert witnesses.

The new system establishes a dedicated Expertise Bureau within the courts to manage administrative operations, track expert performance, and accelerate case resolution. It also introduces full digital integration by launching a comprehensive electronic registry for approved experts on the Ministry of Justice website, enabling electronic filing for complaints, notices, and objections.

To ensure high professional standards, the regulation introduces a sworn-expert system, creates a legal framework for highly specialized or rare disciplines, and permits corporate entities to act as certified experts under specific criteria. Accountability is maintained through a strictly ordered roster system for assigning experts to ensure impartiality, a centralized ledger account for fee management, and a disciplinary committee empowered to issue warnings, suspensions, or registry removals. Furthermore, direct communication between a designated expert and any litigation party outside authorized legal channels is strictly banned to preserve neutrality.

Infrastructure & Green Energy Development In the utility sector, the Cabinet approved a EUR 25 million European Union grant agreement executed through the French Development Agency (AFD). The funding will finance the expansion of the Madaba Wastewater Treatment Plant and the rehabilitation of its sanitation networks. The project will expand the plant's capacity to 16,000 cubic meters per day, serving approximately 200,000 residents and generating treated water for restricted agricultural irrigation.

Furthermore, ministers approved a land-use agreement with the Chinese firm United Energy Group (UEG) to finalize feasibility studies for a green hydrogen production project in Jordan. The venture supports Jordan's framework to attract foreign direct investment in low-carbon fuels and position the country as a regional hub for green industries and ammonia derivatives.

Administrative Appointments The Cabinet concluded by approving the retirement of the Director General of the Social Security Corporation, Jadallah Al-Khalayleh, and appointing Hazem Tayseer Al-Rahahleh as the corporation's new Director General.

//Petra// AA