'I am proud to be part of a great people who do not know the impossible': King Abdullah II

Jordan

Published: 2021-01-30 12:29

Last Updated: 2024-03-27 07:04


'I am proud to be part of a great people who do not know the impossible': King Abdullah II
'I am proud to be part of a great people who do not know the impossible': King Abdullah II

As the Kingdom celebrates King Abdullah II’s birthday Saturday, His Majesty sat down for an interview with the Petra News Agency at the Husseiniya Palace in exceptional circumstances.

The theme of the interview was to discuss the Kingdom’s exposure to regional and international transformations, Jordan’s ability to confront the pandemic, the second centenary and the achievements that His Majesty expects from the Kingdom as the process of development continues in order to improve the lives of citizens, particularly the youth.

His Majesty, despite the difficulty of 2020, spoke with a realistic view of optimism, out of his deep belief in the determination of the Jordanian men and women, and their awareness and ability to overcome difficulties and turn challenges into opportunities. "I am proud to be part of a great people who do not know the impossible," said the King.

King Abdullah said: "I have great faith, optimism, and hope that our second centennial will be one of advancement, progress, and achievement," adding that Jordanians are "all the soldiers and guardians of this nation."

When addressing the pandemic, His Majesty explained that the constant message from the Kingdom is that the health, safety and interests of citizens are the top priority.

His Majesty added, “like other countries, we are passing through difficult and exceptional circumstances, due to the corona[virus] pandemic, and since the outbreak of the pandemic, necessary measures have been taken to protect our sons and daughters, but these measures have affected the economy and livelihoods citizens.”

Despite the challenges, The King said that the necessary governmental decisions have been taken to reduce their impact on various sectors and protect the most affected segments of society. Additionally, the government has directed to balance its decisions between preserving public health and protecting the national economy, and seeking to convert challenges into opportunities.

His Majesty reminded citizens and residents that the battle with the pandemic is not over yet, adding that it is the duty of all to commit to wearing masks, physical distancing, and other public safety measures,

“I received the coronavirus vaccine in compliance with the health instructions and public health recommendations for all citizens,” said King Abdullah.

“With commitment from all of us, we will be able to overcome this pandemic faster, God willing,” said King Abdullah II.

His Majesty noted that in efforts to confront the pandemic in regional and international levels, Jordan has “stood by [its] brothers and friends, just as many stood besides [the Kingdom.]”

Jordan has invested in relations with the countries of the world, to be one of the first countries that managed to secure coronavirus vaccines, said King Abdullah, adding that refugees have also been included in the vaccination plan.

His Majesty addressed how the Kingdom dealt with the pandemic on a local level. The crisis was dealt with on local levels according to institutional methodologies, and with cooperation between all institutions, and the challenge was to develop performance and work mechanisms in light of rapid changes, and by comparing numbers with others, “Jordan, with the grace of God, has advanced its capabilities, to avoid the risk of shortages of medical beds, devices, and the equipment required to confront the virus, and a number of field hospitals were established in a short time.”

His Majesty expressed that Jordan’s first and foremost concern was and still is preserving people's livelihoods and their sources of income, and protecting the middle class from retreat, because it is the true pillar of the economy, and without a strong middle class, no economy can rise or continue.

The King noted that he has directed the government to work to facilitate the establishment of small and medium enterprises, in order to preserve and develop the middle class, and to encourage the investment of the capabilities of our youth in vital sectors such as information technology and quality technical education, in addition to strengthening and institutionalizing the partnership between the public and private sectors.

However, His Majesty added that there is always room for development. Despite this, King Abdullah noted that he deeply appreciates the efforts exerted by government institutions, the army and security agencies, the health and service sector, the private sector, adding that “above all, had it not been for the cooperation of citizens with institutions and everyone performing their duties, we would not have been able to accomplish what we have accomplished.”

In this context, His Majesty thanked the efforts of the national media institutions in the public and private sectors in raising awareness and guiding citizens and pointing out the deficiencies or errors in a professional and neutral manner.

A special appreciation must be made for the great sacrifices of the “White Army” [medical] cadres who persevered, worked and sacrificed for the nation, said the King.

When addressing administrative reform, King Abdullah noted that several steps have been accomplished, but many have remained.

The government has directed to lay down a program to achieve practical and tangible achievements to develop and improve the effectiveness of our administrative apparatus. Clear standards for evaluation and performance must be devoted to stimulate creativity and hard work, and not allow laziness, said His Majesty.

King Abdullah II stressed the need for continuous training programs which must be established to develop competencies and ensure that they keep pace with developments, and restore glory to our administrative apparatus, which has always enjoyed a good reputation.

“Our administrative apparatus must also be purified from the defects attached to it, such as nepotism, which is unjust and corrupt,” said His Majesty, stressing that all administrative, legal and social measures must be taken to combat it.

The King said that this can be done through the automation and provision of electronic services to achieve effectiveness in performance, and by strengthening the monitoring tools in state institutions to ensure effective performance and transparency.

“Administrative reform requires nothing but clear will, programs and plans.”