His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday said that decentrlisation, as a major component in economic reform, is meant to empower citizens in governorates to have a stronger voice in decision making.

King Abdullah told Aqaba community leaders during a visit to the port city that contrary to what some allege, Jordan has no ambitions in Syria and Iraq, slamming those who link decentralisation to the alleged ambitions in the two neighbours.

His Majesty renewed confidence in the Jordanian army and security agencies as they stand up to defend the country.

The King expressed shock at a misunderstanding of previous remarks His Majesty had made on the need to support tribes living across the border in Syria and Iraq, when some wrongly interpreted them to mean that Jordan has “ambitions in these countries”.

“This is not true. The Kingdom has old ties with them [the border tribes]. They have stood by Jordan and it is thus Jordan’s duty to stand by them.”

On Jordan’s ties with Arab countries, His Majesty said: “Our ties with sisterly Arab countries are excellent, but I hear some talking about problems with Gulf countries. They are mistaken. We have strong relations with our brothers there”.

On the recent Iranian nuclear deal with the West, the King said it would affect the region, but will have no negative impact on Jordan.

Regarding the situation in Syria, His Majesty reiterated that Jordan wants a political solution to the crisis there.

Meanwhile, the King reasserted that Jerusalem is a red line for Jordan, stressing the country’s denunciation of Israeli violations in the holy city and the contacts Jordan is making with influential global players to stop these practices.

His Majesty said that “there are always parties that want to stir clashes in Jerusalem.”

On Jordan’s reform drive, His Majesty said: “We are talking about the decentralisation and the Political Parties Law, and very soon there will be an Elections Law. I am shocked that some have linked the issue of supporting tribes in Syria and Iraq to the decentralisation project, claiming that Jordan has ambitions in these countries, which is totally baseless.”

“I think that there are some people who are not comfortable with the decentralisation project, and so the government should clarify the idea behind the project to the public to underline its pros and cons.”

The King added: “I am with political reform and committed to it. Decentralisation means that you will be empowered to decide on your future. This is my goal and we should work out how to link between decentralisation, and the municipalities and political parties laws, and update the Elections Law so that it would fit the future.”

Decentralisation, which is a decade-old plan, is meant to give citizens in governorates a more powerful say in the decision-making process.

The King called for placing public interests above personal interests, saying: “It is necessary to think of the interests of the country. Pursuit of personal gains is part of the problem. That is why I wanted to clarify these matters and end the confusion over them”.

His Majesty told the meeting that focusing on Aqaba development “will contribute to solving many socio-economic problems”, voicing optimism over the future of the area, which was transformed into a special economic zone in 2001.

The King said that there is a programme in place to stimulate investments in the port city, with the ultimate goal of improving the living standards of residents and communities outside Aqaba.

His Majesty underlined foreign investors’ interest in starting projects in Aqaba, adding that government investment-related procedures should be revisited to render them more business friendly.

The King underlined in this context “complications in the investment process brought about by some officials hinder the businesses of investors who come with projects where Jordanians find jobs, while other parties seek to impede the enactment of certain laws out of a populist approach.”

His Majesty urged officials to take courageous decisions when it comes to facilitating investments.

The King directed Royal Hashemite Court officials to implement projects in Aqaba that ensure better education and vocational training and more efficient health services.

On the economic situation, His Majesty said the situation has been improving, but more work is needed in the future.

Speakers at the meeting lauded the King’s efforts to enhance development gains in Aqaba and promote it as an investment destination, stressing that the advances in infrastructure, tourism and economy witnessed in the governorate prove His Majesty’s keenness on improving the economic situation of all areas in Jordan.

They stressed the need to increase the involvement of the people of Aqaba in decision making, calling for resolving poverty and unemployment issues, improving tourist facilities, enhancing the participation of women and youths, and activating the role of civil society organisations.

The community leaders also commended the King’s role in supporting the Palestinian cause and defending Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

They highlighted Jordan’s humanitarian role in hosting Syrian refugees and the burdens it has to carry as a result.

Community representatives also commended the efforts of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and other institutions working in the governorate, some 330km south of Amman, to improve the port city and enhance services and investments.

Speaking at the gathering, former prime minister Abdel Karim Kabariti said Aqaba is the gateway to Jordan, noting that the Jordanian people’s aspirations are akin to His Majesty’s aspirations.

Senator Khaled Abul Ezz said the Royal visit is in line with the King’s keenness on meeting citizens directly and listening to their concerns, while Deputy Mohammad Badri stressed the need to entrench the legislative environment in Aqaba and involve local residents in decision making.

He called for bringing more investments in healthcare and education to the governorate.

MP Mohammad Riyati stressed the need for allocating areas for residential purposes in Aqaba, highlighting the legislative and executive authorities’ commitment to the decentralisation project.

For her part, Deputy Tamam Riyati called for safeguarding the achievements in Aqaba and building on them to resolve challenges.

Community leaders also said many Jordanian investors living abroad are interested in investing in the governorate, calling for enhancing the role of the women’s sector in Aqaba.

Moreover, they stressed the importance of sustaining development projects implemented by women’s committees and civil society organisations, especially those operating in underprivileged areas surrounding Aqaba.

Former commissioner at ASEZA Nasima Fakhri stressed the importance of focusing on attracting industrial and tourist investments during the next stage for their effect on reducing unemployment. She called for supporting micro-funds that finance small- and medium-sized projects.

Community leaders pointed out the need for scholarships in majors needed in the job market and called for addressing the problems facing fishermen in Aqaba, since this profession provides many job opportunities for residents.
 
They commended His Majesty’s efforts in portraying the true peaceful image of Islam as well as his efforts to maintain security and stability in the Kingdom, stressing that the power of Jordanians lies in their eagerness to maintain national unity.