ASSOCIATIONS LAW AMENDMENTS STUCK IN JORDAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000343

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO USAID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2019
TAGS: PGOV KDEM JO
SUBJECT: ASSOCIATIONS LAW AMENDMENTS STUCK IN JORDAN'S
CABINET

REF: 08 AMMAN 3386

AMMAN 00000343 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Despite pressure to amend Jordan's
controversial 2008 Associations Law, which restricts foreign
funding and creates bureaucratic hurdles for local NGOs,
amendments proposed by civil society failed to obtain cabinet
approval before the end of parliament's ordinary session.
Following cabinet approval, the amendments will now likely
appear in a summer extraordinary session of parliament. The
law came into force in December, but the Ministry of Social
Development has refrained from putting forward implementing
regulations. In the absence of implementing regulations or
movement on the amendments, both the government and NGOs are
adhering to the status quo ante. End Summary.

The State of Play
--------------


2. (C) During meetings with Prime Minister Nader Al-Dahabi
and Royal Court Chief Nasser Al-Lozi over the past several
weeks, the Ambassador has asked for status updates on
amendments to Jordan's controversial Associations Law,
emphasizing once again the importance the USG attaches to
their passage. The law, which passed in July 2008 and
entered into force in December, centralizes registry and
oversight of non-governmental organizations in the Ministry
of Social Development (MOSD) and includes a requirement that
any foreign funds be approved by Jordan's cabinet (reftel).
The current MOSD Minister, Hala Lattouf, drafted the law
because of long-standing complaints about the need for
centralized, consistent oversight of NGOs. Lattouf's version
of the legislation, however, was significantly modified by
security-minded conservatives during the consultative
process, leading to complaints by civil society and an
eventual promise by the PM for amendments.


3. (C) According to Lozi, the PM asserted that the
amendments were making slow but steady progress in the
interagency process. Lozi said that they failed to advance
to parliament during the ordinary session (which ends on
February 5) due to ongoing negotiations over details of the
amendments within the cabinet. He hinted that they could
appear during an extraordinary session that has yet to be
scheduled but would likely occur in June or July. Post's
contact in the Legislative and Opinion Bureau, which must vet
any proposed law before it is sent the full Cabinet and then
to parliament, said on January 21 that the law has not yet
been submitted for internal legal review.


4. (C) Regulations needed to implement the Associations Law
have yet to be issued by the Ministry of Social Development
(MOSD). As reported reftel, MOSD was waiting to issue the
regulations on the assumption that they would need to be
overhauled once the promised amendments were enacted. Our
NGO contacts have not been notified of any new requirements
relating to the new law and are still waiting for the process
to play out.

Assisting Implementation
--------------


5. (SBU) One of the law's positive impacts will be to
centralize registration and oversight of NGOs in the Ministry
of Social Development. USAID, through its Civil Society
Strengthening Program, has been providing behind-the-scenes
assistance to MOSD as it prepares to take on this
responsibility. In addition to advising the ministry on best
practices from other countries, USAID contractors are
developing an online, fully automated process through which
civil society organizations can register with the appropriate
ministries. The site, which is expected to be operational by
August 2010, will be linked to all relevant ministries so as
to make the registration process as simple as possible.
USAID will also be providing grants to local organizations to
train lawyers to provide legal aid to NGOs that encounter
difficulties in registering or maintaining their legal status
under the new law.

Comment
--------------


6. (C) The PM stressed that he remains committed to the
passage of amendments. Yet he has repeatedly failed to
follow up with concrete action after similar promises to
Jordanian civil society in the last several months. Part of
this can be chalked up to the PM's cautious nature, but he

AMMAN 00000343 002.2 OF 002


may also fear that the amendments would be defeated or
unconstructively altered in parliament. Until there is
forward movement on the amendments and/or the regulations,
NGOs and government regulators will continue to adhere to the
system which existed prior to the law's passage.

Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman
Beecroft