King: Parliament key partner in implementing modernisation

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday said Parliament is a key partner in implementing modernisation across all tracks, stressing that all institutions must work towards moving forward into Jordan’s future.

During a meeting held at Al Husseiniya Palace with members of the permanent offices of the Senate and the House of Representatives, King Abdullah urged maintaining cooperation between the two chambers and working in partnership with the government, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty thanked the two houses for acting responsibly within their legislative role and coordinating with the government in service of national interests.

The King stressed the important role of Parliament in reaching out to the public and communicating transparently with citizens, commending MPs for engaging with Arab and foreign parliaments to support Jordan’s diplomatic efforts.

His Majesty reaffirmed Jordan’s steadfast position on the Palestinian cause, highlighting the Kingdom’s recent diplomatic efforts to contain escalation in the Palestinian Territories and support the Palestinian Authority, while continuing efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under the Hashemite Custodianship.

The King also touched on Jordan’s role in building economic integration among Arab countries and coordinating positions in service of national and Arab interests, reiterating the need to include the Palestinians in regional economic projects.

His Majesty noted the need to maintain humanitarian and relief support for the Syrian people to mitigate the impact of the recent earthquake, pointing also to the ongoing medical and humanitarian support dispatched to Turkey.

Speaking at the meeting, Senate President Faisal Fayez said combating poverty and unemployment is a priority for all institutions, stressing the need to follow His Majesty’s example in reaching out to the public in the field.

He added that the Senate will also reach out to governorate and municipal councils to enhance coordination and support decentralisation.

The Senate president expressed appreciation for His Majesty’s efforts in bolstering Jordan’s Arab and international standing while safeguarding national interests, stressing the centrality of the Palestinian cause for the Kingdom and the need to counter unilateral Israeli measures.

For his part, House Speaker Ahmad Safadi expressed the chamber’s keenness to increase public outreach to listen to citizens’ concerns and highlight the House’s role, while also engaging with governorate and municipal councils and civil society organisations.

He touched on the House of Representatives’ efforts to amend its internal rules and procedures, as well as its code of conduct, in line with political modernisation requirements and to bolster public trust in the chamber, noting that these amendments will be discussed soon.

Speaker Safadi also underscored the House’s diplomatic efforts through exchanging visits with Arab and foreign parliaments to support Jordan’s diplomatic role and outreach.

Also speaking at the meeting, members of the two houses’ permanent offices highlighted a number of domestic and regional issues, commending His Majesty’s diplomatic efforts and noting the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship over holy sites in Jerusalem.

They said cooperation with the government is underway as set out by the Constitution, expressing support for the modernisation tracks and their keenness to follow up on implementation.

The lawmakers pointed to the importance of administrative reforms and building the capacities of employees in senior political and administrative positions, urging the modernisation of education by developing curricula and teaching methods, as well as promoting vocational education.

The MPs also called for investment promotion in line with the new investment law, stressing the importance of countering false news and cyber bullying through social media, in accordance with the law.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi and Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan attended the meeting.