Jordanian Justice System Pleads for its Reform

In early June, Jordanian magistrates came to Paris to meet their French counterparts. On the agenda: a series of discussions on all the subjects related to the overhaul of the justice sector of the Hashemite Kingdom. There was also a clear desire to step up the dialogue and coordination between the two countries in this field. 

This year, the Parisian summer saw a special kind of dress passing by: Court Presidents, Director of the Judicial Institute, Director of the Inspectorate-General of the Judiciary, members of the High Judicial Council and Ministry of Justice. A total of eleven Jordanian men and women magistrates accepted the invitation of the French judicial services in Paris at the very end of June. 

This study visit was jointly organized by AFD, the French Embassy in Jordan and the European Union delegation in Amman and allowed Jordanian magistrates to learn about the French judicial system. It is part of the support for the public policy of the Kingdom of Jordan, which provides for a major reform, in particular to ensure the independence of the judiciary.

The content and the container

The members of the Jordanian delegation were able to hold discussions with their French colleagues from the central services of the Ministry of Justice: Inspectorate-General of Judicial Services, Department of Judicial Affairs, High Council of the Judiciary. The Jordanian magistrates were welcomed by the President and Public Prosecutor of Evry High Court and were subsequently able to attend a criminal hearing.  
Finally, with a view to financing a new court in Jordan, the delegation benefited from a detailed presentation of the construction of the brand new Paris High Court.

For further reading: Find out all about AFD in Jordan 

Thanks to these exchanges, the Jordanian partners have a better grasp of the benefits of a collaboration with French legal expertise to define, together, the outlines of technical assistance to support the reform of the Jordanian justice system. 

Dual support from France and Europe 

This study visit is part of dual budget support – currently being finalized – to assist the implementation of an ambitious reform launched by King Abdullah II in 2017 on the reorganization of the country’s justice system. 

The first component concerns EUR 40m of AFD financing to support civil and commercial justice in Jordan. This financing will include the construction of the High Court. The second component involves a budget contribution from the European Union for an equal amount, combined with EUR 10m of coordinated technical assistance, partly implemented by AFD to cover the other thematic areas of the reform.

Since its Constitution adopted in 1952, Jordan’s judicial system has been largely based on the French system, in particular through the training of a number of Jordanian lawyers in French universities. This cooperation is continuing. 
 

For further reading: 

Côte d'Ivoire: Justice for all 

Sahel Alliance: Resources for justice in Niger

AFD, peace and justice: Reinventing more inclusive governance models