Jordan’s King Abdullah II felt a little discomfort after taking the coronavirus vaccine but he said it was “a small price to pay compared with actually catching the virus.”
The king and his subordinates urged Jordanians to take a vaccination as registrations for the campaign lag behind the government's plan to inoculate one-fifth of Jordan's 10 million population.
King Abdullah told the official news agency in an interview on his 59th birthday on Saturday that he was filmed while taking the vaccine two weeks ago to send a message that it is safe.
The king took the vaccine with his son, 26-year old Crown Prince Hussein, and his uncle, Prince Hassan, who is 73.
“I made it a point to take the vaccine in front of cameras so that everyone realises that it is a safe and easy process,” the king said.
“I experienced some mild side effects, and I felt tired and had trouble sleeping for a couple of days after receiving the shot, but that is a small price to pay compared with actually catching the virus,” he said.
About 300,000 Jordanians have registered online to take the vaccine.
Inoculations in Jordan started on January 13 using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and China’s Sinopharm.
The king did not say which vaccine he took.
Public health specialists said that at least 20 per cent of the population has been infected since the pandemic began, although official data shows 325,000 infections and 4,304 deaths. Health officials said the rate of increase in cases has been declining since December.
But Health Minister Nizar Obeidat said last week that at least 160 cases of the more contagious coronavirus variant first reported in Britain were recorded in Jordan.
Infection and death rates rose sharply after authorities eased coronavirus restrictions in the summer of last year, prompting the reimposition of a curfew in November while most businesses were allowed to remain open.
The king told the government this month to lift most pandemic-control measures, saying that the public health situation has improved.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
