His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday said the decentralisation plan will first be implemented at the governorate level to ensure cooperation and coordination between the government and local authorities and to ensure more citizen involvement in development-related decisions.

"When I began visiting the provinces, I noticed that citizens better know the priorities for their region and what they needs with regard to schools, health centres and roads. We want to work and hear from everyone, and will go ahead step by step and will not rush forward," King Abdullah said during a meeting with figures representing various segments of society.

The King emphasised that the objective of the project is to give citizens a greater role in the decision-making process and to identify and prioritise their needs. He dismissed allegations that the project was prompted by “external dictates”.

He called on all those concerned to focus on dialogue in order to ensure that the plan is well understood, so that it may achieve its goal of engaging citizens in the development of their communities.

"We want to allow citizens to think of their future and help us to enhance and develop the country," King Abdullah said. "We are working for the sake of our country and I believe that citizens have the capability to recognise what is needed and you are all part of society and can help."