Shboul talks modernisation on 60 Minutes

AMMAN — The recent Cabinet reshuffle prescribes a "new" mandate for the government to work within Jordan's three modernisation tracks, which were launched at the beginning of Jordan's bicentennial, Minister of Government Communications Faisal Shboul said on Friday. 

The tracks include political modernisation, the Economic Modernisation Vision, and the public sector modernisation map, Shboul said.

Speaking on Jordan Television's 60 Minutes programme, which aired on Friday, Shboul noted that this mandate comes as part of the first phase of the 10-year comprehensive modernisation scheme, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Shboul, who is also the government's spokesperson, stressed that there are new tasks set out before the government following Thursday’s reshuffle. These mainly involve improving performance, advancing public service, attracting investment and economic development and providing an empowering partisan political environment.

The reshuffle reduced the size of the ministerial team from 31 ministers to 27, as six ministries were delegated to three Cabinet members, he pointed out.

The minister noted that this step is a starting point for ministry integration under the public sector modernisation roadmap.

He also referred to the entry of three women into the Cabinet, bringing the total number to five, which reflects the government’s belief in the importance of women’s presence and participation based on their "competence, capability and excellence".

Shboul noted that the legislative aspect of the political modernisation track has been accomplished after the approval of laws related to elections and political parties and other relevant constitutional amendments.

He said that the government is tasked with creating an "attractive" political and partisan environment ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The minister added that the government has started implementing the first phase of the public sector development programme, spanning between 2022 and 2025, noting that the roadmap aims at making public sector institutions able to provide "perfect services" to citizens.

He said that the government is scheduled to open a comprehensive government services centre in Muqabalin which is soon to offer 38 services to citizens after the end of official working hours and on Saturdays. This idea will be expanded next year with 15 similar centres opening nationwide, he added. 

As for enhancing Jordan's relations with other Arab countries, Shboul referred to the integration industrial partnership initiative between Jordan, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain that is moving forwards by holding meetings between the four countries to identify implementation priorities.

He also referred to the trilateral cooperation between Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, noting that Jordan and Iraq have recently launched the electric connection project.

The minister talked about copper, potash and oil extraction projects noting that the government has recently purchased a new oil driller, increasing the number of drillers to three, to explore new areas based on technical consultations.

The minister said that there are 10 companies, both local and foreign, interested in exploring mineral extraction.

As for food security, he said that the Kingdom has been successful in this area thanks to His Majesty King Abdullah’s foresight to ensure strategic food reserves in silos and boosting reserves of several basic food items, which allowed Jordan to avoid price hikes in food items.