To Abdullah Ensour

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Your Excellency Dr Abdullah Ensour,
Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

I am pleased to convey to you a greeting full of appreciation for your relentless national efforts and gratitude for your leading career, which has earned you appreciation and respect.

Now that we have received the report on the results of the consultations with various parliamentary blocs and Lower House members, which we entrusted to the Chief of our Royal Hashemite Court, and in light of the results of these consultations, I am entrusting you to form a new government and immediately proceed to the consultation process to for a ministerial team and draft a government programme for the coming four years, and from there go on to secure the confidence of the people’s representatives, the members of the Lower House.

Your designation to form a government comes as a translation of a new approach that consolidates our democratic path on the basis of partnership and consultations with Lower House members. This is what we are seeking to enroot and support as one of the constants of our political system.

Your Excellency,
The launch of the consultations approach and development of the parliamentary government experience requires focus on national priorities that the government’s programme should pay attention to.

Based on that, the foremost national priority is the continuation and intensification of all efforts to create a suitable environment and necessary tools to guarantee progress in and realise the aspired goals of the reform process, which we launched since we assumed our responsibility. The government has a direct responsibility to capitalise to the maximum extent on the comprehensive reform in order to serve citizens’ interests and positively impact their lives.

Furthermore, strengthening the consultations approach requires dialogue with the Lower House and other political forces over the government’s programme and a capable ministerial team,to not only offer the best solution to current challenges, but also to put in place and implement a comprehensive national programme that provides a fresh jumpstart for Jordan’s path to sustainable development and empowers Jordanians to harness their energies and capabilities in various fields to advance the country and strengthen their leadership role in the region and the world.

The government also has a vital role in enhancing the level of public services it provides, consolidating the institutionalisation of public work, enriching government policies and guaranteeing their stability, according to a clear vision and a specific working plan that tackles various challenges.

To that end, we would like to emphasise the importance of building government plans and strategies through consultations with all relevant stakeholders, translating them into action plans that include methodologies that reflect local communities’ priorities in accordance with specific, publicly declared timelines.

Furthermore, the government must work towards implementing the visions outlined in the recent Speech from the Throne and related to the priorities of the executive authority’s mandate and its cooperation with other state branches in order to guarantee successful implementation of mutual responsibilities. There is also the need to activate the performance of the government apparatus through the launch of a white revolution in public work that guarantees its competence, quality and the provision of the best possible services to citizens, with the highest degree of transparency and openness towards both citizens and their representatives. On these bases, the government will be held accountable and its performance will be judged.

Your Excellency,
The challenges that we are going through require paying great attention to the following major national issues, when they are being addressed in the government programme: 

• Strengthening and ensuring respect for the rule of law, and preserving security and public order.
• Continuing efforts to develop political life and legislation that regulates it with a view to encouraging citizens’ engagement and advancing partisan and legislative work.
• Consolidating the principles of transparency, accountability, justice, meritocracy, equal opportunities, seriousness in fighting corruption, wasta and nepotism, and strengthening the national integrity system to restore citizens’ confidence in state institutions.
• Applying the decentralisation approach to strengthen citizens’ partnership in decision-making, particularly on the local level.
• Taking effective measures to fight poverty, unemployment and protect consumers, at the same time broadening the middle class and empowering it, in addition to moving forward in economic and fiscal reform programmes, improving the economic performance and reining in the general state budget deficit and maintaining fiscal stability.
• Advancing the quality of services provided to citizens in various fields and with particular emphasis on health, education, training and employment, in a manner that meets the requirements of the labour market and guarantees the highest levels of equality and justice.
• Concentrating efforts on developing governorates to guarantee a fairer distribution of development gains, and creating a competitive, attractive investment environmentfor the local, Arab and international private sector, in order to realise sustainable economic growth and provide job opportunities to Jordanians.
• Enhancing food and water security and meeting the Kingdom’s requirements in terms of energy sources through long-term planning and the establishment of major projects that can meet our growing needs. This can be done through active and constructive partnership with the private sector and by countering energy challenges through the diversification of sources and implementation of consumption management programmes.
• Strengthening cooperation with civil society organisations, political parties, professional associations and the media as partners in various aspects of the reform and sustainable development processes. The government should also focus on positively contributing to encouraging these institutions and activating their performance, developing their roles and providing a positive environment that enables them to realise their goals to develop society.

Your Excellency Abdullah Ensour,
Our armed forces and security apparatuses are the guarantors of the nation’s sovereignty, security and stability. Their distinguished, professional conduct is a source of pride to all Jordanians. It is the duty of all to continue to provide them with all forms of support and care, and keep them at the centre of our attention, train and equip them, provide their members with the means for a dignified life, so that they will always remain an example of competence and capability to protect the nation and its assets.

Your Excellency,
Jordan was founded on the principles of defending the rights of its Arab and Islamic nation and its just causes, and it will remain, with the help of God Almighty and his blessings, a model of moderation and openness. The government must continue in enhancing our regional and international relations, preserve and develop them and continue to work towards the enhancement of inter-Arab solidarity through its reliance on the highest degrees of consultations, and coordinate positions in a manner that meets our nation’s aspirations for prosperity and a better future.

The Palestinian issue will remain the foremost Arab cause. Finding a just and sustainable solution to this core issue is a key condition to regional security and stability. We are committed to supporting our Palestinian brothers to regain their historical and legitimate rights and establish their independent state on their national soil. One of the government’s top priorities is to preserve Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and defend them in the face of continued Israeli aggressions and attempts to Judaise the holy city and displace its Arab residents, both Muslims and Christians.

Your Excellency,
As we cross into a new phase in Jordan’s political history, we would like to reiterate the need for cooperation and harmony among state branches and for integrating their work, in addition to openness to consultations with all stakeholders to gauge their opinions and experiences in dealing with various issues. This democratic approach is the way that will lead us to a new phase in Jordan’s path, under the banner of maximizing public partnership in decision-making, safeguarding the domestic front and realising the public interest.

Today you stand before a noble national responsibility and success requires a cohesive ministerial team with competence, knowledge, experience and integrity, one that is aware of the challenges, devoted to facing them, and committed to a field-work approach. You will find in me all forms of support and backing. I wish you all success as we await your nominations for the ministerial team that will shoulder with you this responsibility.

Peace, God's mercy and blessings be upon you.

Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein
Amman, 9 March 2013