His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday said Jordan's reform is a "win-win effort" that requires "enlarging the pie" to create winners across society.

"...Reform is not a zero-sum game. It isn't a process of some winning at the expense of others," King Abdullah told the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, launching a newly established lectureship bearing his name — the King Abdullah II Annual Leadership Lecture.

"By enlarging the pie, reform creates winners across society. That's crucial for all Jordanians and I am determined to carry through...The only way we lose, is if, as a nation, we let others turn back the clock."

His Majesty the King said citizens need to become "stakeholders in a positive future."

"That requires effective and inclusive political institutions. Elections are only part of democratic change. There must also be laws and institutions to further promote viable political parties, that give citizens a mechanism to participate effectively: Press freedoms for an informed citizenry, mechanisms to prevent corruption, human rights protections, an independent judiciary and more," the King said.

Reiterating that Jordan has taken a leading role in reform efforts that have had measurable and positive results, King Abdullah said the process of "real" reform should not be expected to be "smooth."

"Can we expect the reform process to be a smooth one? I must tell you no — not if it is real. And today, we are faced with two major challenges," he said.

One challenge is resistance from those who fear uncertainty and change, he added.

"Some look at the success of policies to date — the strong growth of the economy — and they say: 'We are doing just fine. Let's not upset the cart.' To thwart the process, they've found excuses not to act, or tried to label reform as coming from the outside," King Abdullah explained.

"To this group, I have a very simple message. In no country in the world, can today's status quo deliver 21st century prosperity. Jordan must move forward, must open new opportunities and must reform if we are to prosper and stay secure."

His Majesty the King said the second challenge is "a skeptical public."

"Without question, the vast majority of Jordanians want and need what reform promises. But doubters question if it will really happen. Some are real cynics and many just have the attitude of let's wait-and-see. They wonder whether there's the leadership commitment needed to sustain reform. And they are wary when progress seems slow," he said.

"To this group, I say: I hear you. I understand. And I know that the only truly satisfying answer is progress — and success. This is exactly why I am so keen on specific programs and steps — transparent actions that we can monitor, measure and assess. We can't expect there will be no resistance. But we can be prepared. With good oversight, when we see initiatives slowing, we can get in there, find out what or who has blocked the way and put things back in motion. And each of you can play a positive role in keeping the momentum going."

The Jordan Times