Amman, Feb. 1 (Petra) – The Lower House of Parliament approved, by majority vote, several draft laws during its session on Sunday, including bills ratifying extradition agreements between Jordan and Spain, Jordan and Uzbekistan, and mutual legal and judicial assistance and prisoner transfer agreements with Morocco for 2025.

The session, chaired by Speaker Mazen Qadi and attended by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and members of the government team, also saw part of the proceedings presided over by First Deputy Speaker Khamis Atieh.

In addition to approving these agreements, the House referred the draft amendment to the Jordan Valley Development Law of 2025 to a joint parliamentary committee comprising the Legal, Agriculture, and Water committees. The 2026 Education and Human Resources Development Bill was referred to the Parliamentary Education Committee for review.

Head of the Parliamentary Legal Committee, Aref Sa’aydah, emphasized that the extradition treaties with Spain and Uzbekistan do not allow for the extradition of Jordanian citizens, in accordance with the Constitution, and apply solely to non-Jordanian individuals wanted in these countries.

He added that the treaties are mutually beneficial, as Jordan hosts nationals from both Spain and Uzbekistan. MPs noted that the agreements provide a legal framework for cooperation in combating transnational crimes, ensuring that fugitives cannot evade justice, while fully upholding human rights and fair trial standards.

Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Moneim Odat clarified the distinction between deportation and extradition, stressing that the agreements align with international practice and constitutional provisions requiring parliamentary ratification of treaties.

Minister of Justice Bassam Talhouni highlighted the judiciary’s central role in assessing extradition requests, explaining that all requests are examined against constitutional and legal criteria, with decisions subject to appeal.

The Uzbekistan treaty follows its signing during His Majesty King Abdullah II’s official visit to Tashkent and aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in crime prevention, uphold the rule of law, and respect sovereignty and human rights. Similarly, the agreements with Morocco reflect longstanding relations, facilitating legal cooperation in criminal matters and the transfer of prisoners in accordance with international law and mutual agreements.

The proposed amendment to the Jordan Valley Development Law aims to enhance the Jordan Valley Authority’s operational and regulatory powers, particularly in protecting water resources, designing and managing dam projects, and facilitating investments in agricultural and development projects. The amendments provide for broader private sector participation, streamline administrative procedures through digital platforms, and grant authorized Authority employees judicial officer status to conduct inspections and safeguard public resources.

The reforms are expected to improve service delivery, protect land and water resources, stimulate investment in modern agricultural technologies, and create employment opportunities, while strengthening oversight and accountability mechanisms.

The 2026 Education and Human Resources Development Bill seeks to unify the oversight of education and human resource development across all levels, including early childhood, primary, secondary, higher, and vocational education. The bill proposes establishing a National Council for Human Resource Development, chaired by the Prime Minister, to approve national policies and strategic priorities.

The new Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, which succeeds the previous Ministries of Education and Higher Education, will oversee policy formulation, quality standards, licensing of educational institutions, and alignment of educational outcomes with labor market needs. The bill also strengthens university autonomy, centralizes quality assurance under the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Center, and enhances administrative efficiency across nine general directorates.

//Petra// AJ