His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday asserted the importance of joint efforts to confront the various present challenges and to safeguard the country’s accomplishments and contribute to building a better future for all Jordanians.

King Abdullah made the remarks during a meeting with several dignitaries and ex-servicemen, held at the residence of retired Brigadier General Salamah Habashneh on a field visit to Karak, 132km south of Amman.

In order to further advance the country and contribute to its accomplishments, the King said all Jordanians should exhibit a high sense of patriotism and should be aware of the current circumstances and deal with them in a way that serves the country’s higher national interests.

His Majesty stressed the need for working on the implementation of the decentralisation process in the various governorates. The King highlighted the importance of capacity building at the local level, in a manner that streamlines procedures, mitigates difficulties and contributes to achieving comprehensive development, especially in remote areas.

His Majesty pointed to his frequent directives for the government to maintain contact with citizens in all governorates, upgrade the level of services provided to people and to engage the public in the decision-making process.

The King called for stimulating economic growth so that the country can deal with the challenges at hand, including the burdens resulting from hosting Syrian refugees and the impact of that on the Kingdom’s infrastructure and services, within the framework of the 10-year blueprint for economic development the government is preparing.

With regard to economic challenges, His Majesty stressed the need to expedite the implementation of the projects on alternative and renewable energy, especially in the southern areas.

Regarding regional developments, the discussion addressed Jordan’s consistent position vis-à-vis the Syrian crisis.

Participants thanked the King for maintaining contact with all Jordanians at all times and listening to them and for his efforts to solve their problems, lauding his initiatives for governorate development and for the implementation of the decentralisation plan.

In their remarks, they highlighted obstacles facing the drive towards development in the southern governorates and in Karak, in particular. They also presented suggestions on ways to improve the living conditions in the governorate, especially to confront the problems of poverty and unemployment.

They stressed the importance of boosting the rule of the law to preserve the country’s security and stability, commending the efforts of the Jordan Armed Forces and security bodies.

The talks are part of continued efforts by the His Majesty to maintain channels of dialogue with key actors in local communities and sectors.