Ammon News - In an interview with Jordanian TV, Hassan: The government has a clear work programme and is fully aware of the magnitude of the requirements and challenges it faces



Amman, Jan. 11 (Petra) – Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said the government has a clear work programme and a comprehensive understanding of the scale of the requirements and challenges it faces, stressing its determination to advance solutions and achieve tangible accomplishments.

In a special interview with Jordanian TV, aired Sunday evening and conducted by journalist Anas Majali, Hassan said the government's second executive programme, which will be launched soon, includes dozens of initiatives, programmes and legislative measures.

He said that the modernisation vision represents Jordan's project for the future, noting that the most important objective of all government programmes is to ensure job opportunities and sustainable income for Jordanian youth.

The Prime Minister said that fieldwork is "my method and school of work," affirming that he would continue this approach until the final day of the government's term.

He noted that he visited 130 sites across the Kingdom in 2025 and that at each site either positive change was implemented or solutions were found for some existing problems. "We will continue these visits, as well as holding Cabinet meetings in the governorates," he added.

The Prime Minister stressed that the credibility of the government, and of any official, depends on their ability to adhere to commitments and fulfill promises.

In this context, he said the decision to provide treatment for more than four million Jordanians at the King Hussein Cancer Centre constitutes the most important decision taken by the government.

He highlighted major strategic projects valued at approximately $11 billion, which are set to begin implementation in 2026 and continue over the next four to five years.

"We aim to cover more than 80% of our sectors' natural gas needs from the Risha field," the Prime Minister said.

He pointed out that the Amra City project is designed to serve the expected large population growth in Amman and Zarqa, stressing that it is neither a new capital nor a new administrative capital.

The Prime Minister emphasised that Jordan's international and regional relations are governed first and foremost by the Kingdom's interests, security and stability.

He said that Syria's success is Jordan's and the success of the Arab region as a whole, noting that Jordan supports efforts to rebuild Syrian institutions and extend state control over all Syrian territory.

The Prime Minister added that border security with Syria is a fundamental and pivotal issue, adding that water is likewise a strategic matter of national security and that reaching a fair water agreement with the Syrian side is essential.

The following is the text of the interview:

Interviewer: It has been approximately fifteen months since the formation of Jafar Hassan's government, during which it has dealt with numerous political, economic, social and developmental challenges.

In this special interview with His Excellency Jafar Hassan, we discuss the past year and the key files the government will address in the coming months. Your Excellency, welcome to this special interview on Jordanian Television.

Prime Minister: Good evening. My greetings to you, and my appreciation to Jordanian Television, this venerable institution on whose programs we grew up. I wish it continued success in the coming year, which we hope will be a year of prosperity for our country, our wise Hashemite leadership, and our dear people.

God willing, the blessed rains we have witnessed will mark a good beginning to a year we strive to make one of construction, achievement, and prosperity for Jordan and its people.

Question: From the moment the government was formed and appointed by Royal Decree, there were clear directives to continue national modernisation programmes and to boldly take decisions that benefit citizens, as well as an emphasis on direct engagement in the field.

After nearly fifteen months, have these tours had a tangible impact on the ground?

Answer: First, this government has a very clear work programme. We are fully aware of the requirements and challenges before us, and of how to move forward with solutions and achievements.

The Royal Decree is clear, as are the tasks entrusted to us. There is also the government's action plan, or executive programme, for the coming years, which we will launch in the coming days.

It includes dozens of initiatives, programmes and pieces of legislation, all governed by clear timelines and subject to evaluation and measurable impact assessments during the coming period.

These programmes and projects are based on the vision for economic modernisation, as well as administrative and political modernisation.

These modernisation visions constitute Jordan's project for the future and the most important goal of all our programmes is to guarantee job opportunities and income for our youth over the next decade.

This is fundamental, and all efforts are focused on achieving this objective.

With regard to field visits, they are not optional for any Prime Minister. This is stipulated in the Royal Mandate, and His Majesty the King has clearly directed the government to engage directly with citizens.

This is a natural and essential aspect of governmental work. It is His Majesty's approach, and I have had the honour of working with him for several years. This is my method and my school of thought, and I will continue with it until the last day of this government's term.

This approach has become institutional for this government, whether through the Prime Minister's field visits or the nearly monthly Cabinet meetings held in each governorate.

This is particularly important to me with regard to development programmes in the governorates and the focus on advancing their development.

As Prime Minister, I visited 130 sites last year. At each site, positive change was implemented, solutions were found to problems in the education, health and youth sectors, or progress was achieved in productive sectors affecting the lives of hundreds or thousands of citizens.

I consider this a significant achievement, and I believe that dedicating even a single day by the Prime Minister to such work is an important and worthwhile investment.

There is, of course, an opinion that such field visits fall within the responsibilities of ministers or executive departments.

Answer: Indeed, this is the responsibility of ministers, local administrations, education and health directorates and other relevant bodies. However, this does not preclude the Prime Minister from delving into details, following up and pressing officials as needed.

Ultimately, it is the Prime Minister's right, duty and responsibility to be present in the field and to engage directly with citizens in order to understand their challenges firsthand and address them strategically.

A problem that exists in one village or governorate may not exist elsewhere. Therefore, it is essential for the Prime Minister to be fully informed of such issues in detail and on the ground, so that when they are discussed at the strategic decision-making level, all dimensions are clearly understood. I personally consider this extremely important.

When His Majesty the King emphasises fieldwork, I see no reason why it should not be among the Prime Minister's foremost duties and responsibilities.

Question: The Cabinet held meetings in all governorates last year. Will you return to the governorates to inform citizens openly about what has been achieved?

Answer: I have held the entire government accountable. Every minister has committed to specific projects within their sector before elected bodies and governorate representatives, with clear implementation timelines. Ultimately, I am accountable to the ministers and this reflects the commitment of the government as a whole.

At the Prime Minister's Office, a dedicated department follows up on every site I visited and all directives issued to ensure that procedures and solutions are implemented swiftly and in coordination with all relevant ministries. I personally follow up on this issue weekly to ensure that all commitments made during field visits are fulfilled.

Today, I firmly believe that the credibility of the government and of any official depends on their ability to honour commitments and deliver on promises.

The focus of field visits has been primarily on the education and health sectors, which are the most important sectors for citizens, who expect high-quality services.

Last year, approximately 37 schools were constructed, and this year we will nearly double that number with the construction of close to 80 schools. Over the next five years, we will complete the construction of 500 new schools, which will significantly improve the education sector.

In addition, maintenance work is underway on existing school buildings, and hundreds of kindergarten classrooms will be built, enabling us to accommodate approximately 9,000 additional children in kindergartens within the next two years alone.

During field visits, 100 schools were identified as being in urgent need of intervention.

I take this opportunity to thank private sector institutions that have contributed more than JOD150 million over the next three years to support the education and health sectors through corporate social responsibility initiatives, which has greatly enhanced our ability to implement these projects.

Question: Will visits to the governorates and Cabinet meetings outside the capital continue this year?

Answer: Absolutely. We will continue this practice throughout this year and until the final day of the government’s term. It is an institutional and systematic approach that will continue.

Question: Among the many decisions taken over the past year, which do you consider the most impactful on citizens’ lives?

Answer: The most impactful decision, in my view, and one I personally consider among the most important, is providing insurance coverage for more than four million citizens at the King Hussein Cancer Centre.

This decision brings reassurance to citizens and preserves their dignity, as well as that of their families and children, should they be afflicted by this disease.

The least we can do for any citizen suffering from cancer is to provide the best possible opportunity for treatment at the King Hussein Cancer Cenre, without additional hardship or psychological burden.

The government has allocated approximately JOD124 million in this year's budget to cover insurance for around four million beneficiaries at the Centre. The health sector, alongside the education sector, will remain a key focus in the coming period.

Question: Why did the government insist on approving the new budget before the end of last year?

Answer: In fact, we expedited approval of the budget because we spent 96% of capital expenditure during 2025, and the more we are able to spend these resources during the year, the more we can advance in many sectors and capital projects. We therefore hastened approval so the implementation of important capital projects wouldn't be delayed at the beginning of this year.

The year 2026 will be a year of construction and a pivotal year. In the past period there were major efforts to lay the groundwork for very large, strategic and major projects that require financing. This year will be the year of starting implementation and construction of these projects and issuing their tenders.

There are projects worth about $11 billion that will begin implementation this year and extend over the next four to five years. Tenders will be floated for these projects, whose impact will be distributed across many productive sectors and will achieve higher growth rates because most of their financing comes from external investments. These projects are distributed across the water, energy, transport, tourism and construction sectors.

Necessarily, they will have a major impact on growth, but the budget also contributes part of the costs of these projects. If we look, for example, at the National Water Carrier Project, the budget will contribute over the next four years about a quarter of a billion dinars at least to support this project, in order to reduce water costs later.

With regard to the Risha gas project and the transmission pipeline as well, the government will contribute through this year’s budget 35 million dinars allocated to support this project.

There are also other projects that will receive support from the budget, especially public transport projects, where we will support these sectors so that we can achieve appropriate feasibility to guarantee local and foreign investment and financing for these projects.

Ultimately, I always stress that we and the private sector are partners in the Economic Modernisation Programme, and we are partners in most of these projects. If we look at financing of the Economic Modernisation Programme, two-thirds of the financing comes from investments and the private sector, locally or externally, and not from the budget. Despite that, capital expenditure in the budget amounts to about JD6 billion, including capital spending and assistance and grants that will be allocated to the education and health sectors. This is the government’s duty and responsibility to focus capital financing on these two sectors.

Question: When will executive works for the National Water Carrier Project begin on the ground?

Answer: We began the early works phase for this project six months ago and completed most of the financing procedures required for this project, whose financing is estimated at more than $5 billion or $5.5 billion. A large part of the financing is from grants and concessional loans, and the remainder is foreign investment, with part of it local investment. As I mentioned, there is a contribution from the government through the budget as capital expenditure in this project of more than a quarter of a billion dinars over the next four years.

Financing of the project is one of the essential matters, and the final financial close for this project with all investor and donor entities will be completed within the next 60 days. Implementation will begin at the end of the first quarter of this year, and delivery will be in 2030 or by the end of 2030.

This project provides 300 million cubic metres of desalinated water annually, pumped to Amman through pipelines from Aqaba to the reception stations in Amman.

This project is the largest integrated project in terms of desalination and pumping regionally and globally. It is a large, important and strategic project for Jordan, and thank God we are moving forward with it, and by the end of the first quarter we will have begun implementation, God willing.

Question: There is also the energy challenge and the issue of gas exploration. We have heard a lot about exploration operations and supplying industrial cities with gas. Is it possible that we reach a stage where gas is considered one of Jordan’s natural resources?

Answer: Certainly, we do not want to reach this goal after ten years, but rather after five years or four years. There are facts and we are working on projects that we are implementing, and there are results on the ground. The goal is that by 2030 we will have gas production from the Risha field that covers or meets more than 80% of the needs of our sectors for natural gas.

This means about 417 million cubic feet, which requires implementation of the gas pipeline between Risha and the Arab Gas Pipeline this year, or at least issuing its tender this year, so that it is ready by 2030 to benefit from these quantities that are extracted, at increasing rates each year.

The latest figure we have reached is about 80 million cubic feet per year, and this number will double until we reach the target for 2030, when the transmission pipeline will be prepared for this purpose.

Of course, the project will have an impact on industrial zones and on the savings it will achieve for Jordanian industries in these areas. We have begun expanding the natural gas network in industrial zones in various governorates, in Mafraq, Ma’an and Zarqa, and we are continuing. We are talking about savings of hundreds of millions for Jordanian industries connected to the gas network that we are expanding now.

Question: With regard to major strategic projects, there is the Aqaba–Al-Shidya–Aqaba–Ghor Al-Safi railway project. Where has this project reached?

Answer: The regional railway is a reality, and Jordan is either part of it or outside it. It is very necessary that Aqaba be an integral part of the regional railway system.

Today, Turkiye and Syria are interested in railway connectivity with Jordan, and Saudi Arabia is also interested in railway connectivity with Jordan, with Syria and with Turkiye. These are regional strategic issues, and everyone is interested in them, and sooner or later they will become a reality.

Our goal is to start with the national railway project from Aqaba. To achieve economic feasibility and an investment return for the project, there must be goods transported by rail.

Initially, the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) and the Arab Potash Company (APC) expressed interest in transporting potash and phosphate by rail because of the returns, and the two companies will be contributors to the railway project.

This project will necessarily be connected in its first phase to a dry port in Ma’an, which will add value and support logistics operations in Aqaba. Then the project can expand in the coming years to reach Mudawwara, then move north to Syria and Turkiye, and south to Saudi Arabia.

Question: When will railway projects begin?

Answer: This year. That is why this is a pivotal year, and it is essential that we are able to start energy, water and railway projects so that we can complete them over the next four years.

Question: One of the projects the government has spoken about is the Amra City project. There are questions as to why Amra City and why not develop existing cities instead.

Answer: First, this is not a new project. The government began working on it and implementing it as stated in the letter of designation, and it is a necessary and important project.

If we look at Amman and Zarqa, specifically Amman, and if population growth in Amman and Zarqa continues as it did over the past ten years, without taking into account the past fifteen years since the Syrian refugee influx, we will find that the population in Zarqa and Amman over the next 25 to 30 years will reach 11 million people. We can imagine Amman with nine million residents, or Zarqa with double its current population.

No matter how much effort we exert in building and developing infrastructure, with the large expected population numbers there will be financial and funding difficulties, pressure on municipalities and the Greater Amman Municipality, social pressures, housing costs, land prices, congestion and required services, all of which will be in a very difficult situation.

Therefore, there must be planning for supporting cities close to Amman, Zarqa and the airport that are organised and planned in a way that is not imposed on us. On the contrary, we are the ones who can build and plan before the necessities of life impose themselves as a reality that requires us to build our plans around it. On the other hand, today we need large and essential facilities in Amman and also necessarily to serve Zarqa.

We need a large international stadium. The sports city is now more than 55 years old and needs development, and Amman’s size when the sports city was built was a tenth of what it is today.

Amman today has about five million residents, and we need a new, modern sports city. It is true that the government has updated the sports city in Amman in recent months, but we need more than that. We need a large exhibition centre to serve Amman and Zarqa, and we need an investment tourism project such as a large entertainment city. These projects cannot be done today inside the capital.

Thinking about establishing a new city began years ago, and I emphasise that it is not a new capital or a new administrative capital.

The location of the new city enables us to work efficiently and plan and organise in the correct way without obstacles, on state-owned land. The location is closest to Zarqa, Amman and the airport, and includes vast areas of about half a million dunums of state land, expandable. It is 35 kilometres from Zarqa and the airport, 40 kilometres from Amman, 80 kilometres from the Omari border centre with Saudi Arabia, and 80 kilometres from the Jaber border centre with Syria. It lies between the Amman–Saudi highway and the Zarqa–Iraq and Saudi highway. The location is strategic, and the decision is well studied.

We are not talking about a project for four or five years. This phase is a foundational phase. We start with a nucleus that develops in stages. Frankly, completion of this project will be for future generations. It is a project for our generation and for generations to come.

Of course, a large part of this project will be allocated to the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC), because it is also important to me that retirees, military or civilian, as well as residents of Al-Muwaqqar District, have a share in this project. In the end, it is a national project, not just an investment project, but a project that serves society and must have social value.

Question: You spoke about ambitious strategic projects worth about $11 billion. A question the citizen may ask now is: how can all these projects be reflected on the citizen, and how can they be reflected specifically on unemployment?

Answer: First, all these projects, when we talk about projects that have an impact on a large number of sectors, whether water, energy, construction or transport projects, all these projects together activate the industrial sector, the construction sector, the trade sector and various other sectors.

The ports sector and the logistics sector, all of this ultimately feeds into employment.

Employment, on one hand, depends on establishing projects and creating new opportunities, but employment also depends on skills and preparing competencies, and this is important.

These projects must therefore be accompanied by parallel work in qualification and training, particularly vocational qualification and training.

We should not forget that these projects are spread out. These projects are not in one area only. They extend across the entire country.

Question: Over the past period, the government has taken more than 200 economic decisions since its formation. The main headline of these decisions was easing the burden on citizens and stimulating growth. Let me recall some of these decisions for you and for viewers: reducing the total tax on vehicles by about 50%, exempting residential apartments from property taxes for three years, tax and customs settlements that benefited more than 8,000 citizens and companies, payment of delayed income tax refunds for the years 2020 to 2023, amending the vehicle plate system, allocating proceeds from the sale of special numbers to the university student fund, achieving about JD5 million in additional revenue, and exempting licensing and permit fees for public transport operators by 50%. These are some of these decisions. The question that comes to mind is: will the government also take decisions this year to ease the burden on citizens and stimulate growth?

Answer: Certainly. These decisions first eased the burden on citizens, but they also had economic value. In the end, there is a balance.

If we are able to ease the burden on citizens, this is essential and necessary, and it is the government’s primary duty in the end. We support facilitative measures, especially in the economic field.

We will continue with tax and customs settlements and speeding up the issue of arrears.

Regarding expropriations, there are many citizens who have not yet received their rights related to expropriations. I believe it is unfair for the government to expropriate land and not pay the citizen their entitlement within a reasonable timeframe.

We have so far paid more than JD600 million in arrears from previous years, but God willing, when we leave our position, we will not leave arrears behind us.

Question: You previously said that the budget reflects 15 years of continuous crises, and that the government seeks to reach a growth rate of 4% in 2028. According to economic experts, this is an ambitious rate and involves a significant commitment. This is a commitment you may be questioned about, and you have placed yourself in a position where you will be asked about these numbers. My question is: what makes you this optimistic?*

Answer: Certainly it is a commitment that I will be questioned about. The past fifteen years were indeed successive crises, and frankly Jordan had no opportunity to catch its breath.

Fifteen years of growth at an average of 2% naturally led to rising unemployment figures. This is a major challenge.

Today, we will begin implementing essential and necessary projects with large investment volumes that will be capable of moving the economy.

I am optimistic because, despite all the regional challenges we faced during the past year, we were able to achieve good growth rates. I believe that in the absence of such challenges during the current year, God willing, growth will be at better rates.

But I want to be clear: our work as a government must continue at the highest pace regardless of all regional challenges. This has always been the historical path of this country and the path on which this country was built.

Question: We often say that the goal of all these decisions and projects is ultimately to stimulate growth, and the final goal is the citizen. When we look at some economic figures, growth rose last year to 2.8%. Foreign investments increased, exports rose by 9%, tourism returned and grew by 6.5%, and the central bank’s reserves reached, for the first time in its history, 24.6 billion. You spoke earlier about raising growth to 4% in 2028. What do these figures and indicators mean for the citizen, and how are they reflected on them?

Answer: It is necessary to clarify one point: these figures, indicators and achievements are not solely the effort of this government. There have been fiscal and monetary policies over the past years and through the crises we faced that helped strengthen Jordan’s economic position.

This government continues and accelerates the Economic Modernisation Programme, and this is necessary. I believe that the figures we have seen and mentioned are to a large extent a result of that, but there is an ongoing policy over the past years that enabled Jordan to maintain its financial and monetary stability.

If we look today at the level of reserves at the central bank, which has reached a historic level, this is the result of prudent monetary policies pursued by the Central Bank of Jordan for more than 36 years, while economies much larger than ours in the region were shaken and their currencies collapsed more than once.

The responsibility of this government today, as we did last year, is to double efforts, double measures, and come up with sometimes unconventional solutions to ongoing problems that citizens and the economy suffer from.

As for the overall impact on citizens, when you see tourism numbers rise, the entire tourism sector and those working in it will benefit and expand, and employment will increase accordingly.

When we talk about the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) and the record levels it has reached in recent months, which are historic levels since 2008 if not earlier, what does that mean? It means companies are expanding, achieving profits and improving their performance overall.

This means there is stimulation and growth, opportunities for expansion and growth, and employment and job opportunities will therefore expand.

All these indicators we talk about have an impact on the ground, on companies, hotels, restaurants, factories and the overall economic sector.

Question: One of the important issues is public debt. Frankly, whose responsibility is it? And the second part of my question: what is the government’s plan to deal with it, and how will it reduce the public debt ratio?

Answer: Different decisions were taken during previous periods of crisis that led to an increase in indebtedness. Objectively, I am not in a position to judge any of these decisions retrospectively, but these decisions had their reasons, their necessities, and their security, political and economic circumstances at the time. They are the result of the accumulation of crises on the Jordanian economy over an extended period.

Today, however, the priority and most important issue for the government, and for any economy, is not the absolute size of the debt, but rather how much of the budget is spent on servicing the debt.

This is the most important figure, because it is the one that competes with revenues over what is spent on capital expenditure in particular.

The more we reduce the cost of debt servicing, the more we are able to expand capital spending, or spending in other areas related to wages and the like.

What is most important is that we are able to control the accelerating rise we have seen in the share of debt servicing within the overall budget.

This is done by reducing interest service costs.

Accordingly, the size of indebtedness is measured by the ratio of debt to gross domestic product.

We have pledged and committed to reducing the debt ratio to 80% of GDP over the next two years, and we are continuing on that path, and God willing we will achieve it.

This will be an ongoing matter, and it is the government’s commitment in the budget speech and also its commitment with international institutions.

All our fiscal programmes are based on that.

At the same time, it is necessary to look at the nature of public debt management and the cost of servicing public debt, and to control the growth of debt servicing within the budget, so that when we expand the budget, this expansion is in favour of capital expenditure and not debt servicing.

Question: His Majesty the King tasked the government, and tasked you, with chairing the National Council for Future Technology, and we certainly also know the interest and follow-up of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince on this issue. My direct question: what has been achieved so far?

Answer: First, His Majesty the King began, 25 years ago, a major effort to introduce information technology and develop and expand it in the Jordanian economy and in the field of education in Jordan.

I believe that period coincided with the beginnings of the internet era, and Jordan entered this field early, achieved significant accomplishments, and built a sector from nothing.

Today, we are facing the era of artificial intelligence.

The directives of His Majesty the King, and the supervision of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, have been extremely important in activating this effort.

We are working in particular on developing artificial intelligence tools in the field of education.

Thousands of teachers are being trained, and AI models are being introduced into education.

The first model has now been launched within the "Siraj" application, in an initial pilot with about 150,000 students.

This is a very important matter, and we are expanding it gradually.

In addition, in the health sector there is a major effort to introduce these virtual tools, so that we can expand medical services and also reduce costs related to infrastructure.

The government’s ability to diversify, expand and facilitate its services through applications is a core issue, and of course it is important to us in the end that the private sector is also able to benefit and expand through this work.

Question: The government launched a cleanliness strategy and a campaign to reduce random dumping of waste. This file and this issue receive attention from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. My question is: this campaign will also be launched what will it achieve, and is the interest seasonal or a long-term commitment?

Answer: This issue should not receive only the attention of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince; it should receive the attention of every Jordanian citizen, in truth.

Unfortunately, when I listen to a foreign or Arab citizen who has visited Jordan, I hear how beautiful our country is and how hospitable its people are, but I also hear about the amount of waste that tourists or visitors see in our nature, at our tourist sites and in our streets.

I do not think I have visited a country anywhere in the world where there are as many sanitation workers spread through the streets as I see in our capital and in some of our cities.

I believe there is therefore a responsibility on us as a government, on our institutions and on society to be able to preserve our country and improve in an area that we should not even have to discuss, which is cleanliness.

We have one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and one of the kindest peoples in the world. It should therefore be taken for granted that our country is also among the cleanest in the world.

Institutionally, we will begin first with infrastructure, to ensure that all necessary infrastructure is in place and to ensure that random dumping of waste does not occur.

There will also be strict enforcement of the law. I am very serious about this issue, because unfortunately in countries that strictly enforce laws, whether neighbouring countries or African, Western or Asian countries, we find very high levels of cleanliness.

Finally, there is the issue of awareness and guidance, and work on raising awareness, starting from schools, to the media, to all institutions.

Question: Let me move to the domestic political aspect, specifically the relationship between the government and the Lower House of Parliament. Is this relationship based on consensus or on managing differences?

Answer: The relationship is one of cooperation governed by the constitution.

Political modernisation ultimately aims to strengthen the parliamentary institution. Our role as a government is to ensure that the cooperative relationship is good, as long as the matter relates to the national interest, and as long as the issue is how we work together, whether we agree on a programme or disagree on it, provided the matter is cooperation outside the framework of incitement, opportunistic mobilisation or personal agendas.

On the contrary, I believe we have significant room for work and achievement. Frankly, over the past period the work has been serious, and we have been able to move forward on many matters through cooperation.

I personally met with all parties and blocs. There were extensive dialogues, and we discussed all issues. The government benefits greatly from the observations of MPs in general, especially in our work with the governorates, in building development programmes and in field visits.

In the end, I greatly appreciate the enormous pressures placed on MPs.

Our understanding is that the parliament should be strong and credible.

We completed the budget bill, and all appreciation goes to the Lower House and the Senate for that.

We completed the Electronic Transactions Law, completed amendments to the National Service Law, and the Social Security Law, which will be approved after the dialogue on it ends at the end of this month.
We also have the new Local Administration Law ahead of us, along with other important laws that will have a positive and significant impact.

Question: There are questions from the public and from specialists so far: what are the main amendments you are considering to the Local Administration Law?

Answer: With regard to the Local Administration Law, I believe the most important issue for citizens is that development programmes in governorates and municipalities are strong, and that there is governance and sound management within municipalities.

Resources are limited, but the issue to a large extent is an issue of management.

When we find machinery idle and people at home instead of at their workplaces, we have a problem.
When, overnight, machinery goes out into the streets and people are at work, this means things were not in good order.

The issue of resources has always been a challenge for Jordan, but the issue of management is one where I believe there is significant room for improvement.

Question: There is rapid acceleration in events and developments. We see the continuation of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and we see Israeli attempts to impose new facts on the ground, particularly in the West Bank. We hear statements from some Israeli officials about displacement and about so-called maps of Greater Israel. My direct question: how do you follow and read these developments?

Answer: First, with regard to Gaza, I believe the priority is to ensure the consolidation of the ceasefire, move quickly to the second phase, and implement U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza.

In reality, the United States played an extremely important role in reaching the ceasefire and imposing this plan on the Israeli side, and we hope to proceed with it quickly.

The most important thing is the rejection of the annexation of the West Bank, and this was one of the very important matters to which the U.S. administration committed.

The humanitarian situation remains extremely painful. Only about 20% of the required aid reaches Gaza today, especially under these difficult conditions and during the winter season.

We have always tried, as Jordan, to help, and we were pivotal in humanitarian support for Gaza during periods when aid was completely cut off.

His Majesty the King’s efforts were pioneering in delivering support to our brothers there. This is an extremely important matter that must be addressed quickly, and it is among our core priorities.

Of course, Gaza cannot be separated from the West Bank, nor from Israeli escalation and rapidly intensifying extremist policies in the West Bank and in Jerusalem.

Settlement policies are extremely dangerous, and the Palestinian people cannot be ignored.

Today, the mere presence of the Palestinian people on their land and their steadfastness is the greatest expression of resistance, because steadfastness itself is resistance. Their mere presence on Palestinian land in the West Bank and Gaza is resistance. We are concerned with ensuring that the Palestinian people remain on their land. As for displacement, it is completely rejected and is considered a crime against humanity.

Ultimately, what governs our international and regional relations is one thing: Jordan’s interest, security and stability first and last. Nothing overrides that. This is the source of our decisions and what guides our foreign policy.

The efforts of His Majesty the King and of Jordanian diplomacy have been extremely important in defending the rights of the Palestinian people over the past two years and over past decades.

His Majesty the King has repeatedly warned, in every speech before the United Nations General Assembly, that failure to find a solution to the Palestinian issue will lead to the continuation of the conflict.

Some once thought the conflict had ended, but in reality, failure to reach a just solution to the Palestinian cause will fuel the conflict in different forms and dimensions.

I do not believe that any state or any party wants to see this conflict continue for decades to come, given its impact on all the peoples of the region.

Extremist policies in Israel will ultimately lead to increasing Israel’s global isolation.

We have seen the extent of global discontent with these extremist policies, the level of global support for the Palestinian state, and the recent recognitions.

God willing, reason will prevail. I believe our efforts as Jordanian diplomacy are not individual efforts, but Arab efforts, and they must be unified Arab efforts working with the international community towards one goal.

Question: The path of cooperation between Jordan and Syria. Over the past period, nearly a year has passed since the new rule in Syria. How do you assess, specifically, the course of this cooperation and relations between Jordan and Syria?

Answer: Syria’s success is Jordan’s success, and the success of the entire Arab region.
We are doing everything we can to support our brothers in Syria so that they can rebuild their institutions, rebuild their country, and succeed as a prosperous and secure state that exercises its sovereignty over all its territory.

Syrian security is part of Jordanian security.

Our shared border is long, and we have suffered because of it for decades.

Today, we reject policies of intervention and aggression against Syria, especially from the Israeli side, and we work with our Syrian brothers in all fields to provide possible support.

We want to be part of Syria’s reconstruction and part of Syria’s success.

There are more than 1.25 million Syrian citizens and Syrian refugees in Jordan.

It is true that some have returned, but the majority remain in Jordan. Therefore, it is necessary for Syria to succeed on the path of stability and reconstruction, and we will remain supportive of it on all these paths.

Question: Is Jordanian policy continuing with the policy of voluntary return for Syrian refugee brothers, and also, as you said, engagement with our brothers in Syria in several sectors, including security and borders?

Answer: Yes, it is a policy of voluntary return in cooperation with international civil society organisations.
Security and borders are, of course, a core and pivotal issue. But as important as they are, there is also the issue of water, which is a strategic and national security issue.

It is necessary to reach a fair agreement with the Syrian side regarding water.

There have been positive indications from the Syrian side in this regard so far, and we hope to move faster on the water file with our brothers in Syria.

Question: If you allow me, a group of quick questions. The first: did you perform national service? And the second part of the question: how do you view the return of the national service programme?

Answer: I was honoured to perform national service more than 36 years ago, for a period of two years.
Of course, it is an honour for every young man to wear the emblem of the Arab Army and to train in the school of the Arab Army that produces men, personalities and leaders.

What distinguishes national service is that it brings together sons of the nation from all its regions and all its segments. It brings together the farmer, the trader and the doctor, from the desert, cities and rural areas.

They sleep in one barracks, eat at one table, train and crawl in the same field.

This creates a very important condition among different segments of society. I believe the training, even though it is for three months, includes diversity and content that are necessary for today’s youth, and I believe it will be very beneficial for those who have the opportunity to participate in or are called up for national service.

This is an effort and a subject that His Majesty has long wanted to advance. Thank God, with personal follow-up from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the programme has returned, the service has returned, and we have reactivated it. God willing, in the coming period we will be able to develop it further.

Question: Since you served alongside His Majesty the King for eight years as Director of the Office of His Majesty, and also served four years as Director of Policies, what did you gain from His Majesty the King?

Answer: I do not believe there is a leader in the world who has been able to face all these challenges over a quarter of a century and earn the respect of the world for his wisdom and the faith of his people in him, like His Majesty.

First, His Majesty never surrenders to bleak expectations. He always looks for opportunities to overcome challenges. His Majesty always looks for solutions in the most difficult issues. It is always about solutions.
The level of perseverance, determination and resolve in his leadership is truly distinctive, and I believe we all learn from him every day. The degree of persistence, attention to detail and continuous follow-up, even until late hours of the night, is remarkable.

His Majesty speaks with us and follows up on matters and details that were part of the daily meetings.
In addition, he insists on field engagement and communication with citizens.

I believe His Majesty the King’s leadership style is a school for any official in our country.

Question: Are you thinking of conducting a new cabinet reshuffle?

Answer: A reshuffle is not a goal in itself. I do not favour frequent reshuffles, frankly, unless there are reasons that necessitate any change. Otherwise, I will not think about a reshuffle.

Question: A quick message, specifically to young people.

Answer: I hope that Jordan will always be the place where they realise their ambitions, the place where they find opportunities, that values their competencies and rewards their efforts, that is always the best place for them, and that their belonging to this country will always remain strong.

Petra