His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday met with a number of local community leaders in Umm Qais in the northern governorate of Irbid.

During the meeting, held at the location of the signing of the Umm Qais Treaty 100 years ago and attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, King Abdullah highlighted the need to capitalise on tourism attractions in the area, in light of its historical and archaeological significance, to improve the livelihoods of residents and alleviate poverty and unemployment.

Describing Umm Qais as one of the most beautiful places in Jordan and the world, His Majesty stressed the need to continue to address the impact of the COVID pandemic on tourism, and to enhance public services, in a manner that reflects positively on the area and its residents.

The King called for developing a comprehensive plan to invest in the potential of Umm Qais in tourism and agriculture.

For their part, the attendees commended His Majesty’s efforts to reach out to citizens across the Kingdom.

They highlighted Umm Qais’ role in Jordanian history, as well as its richness in archaeological sites and tourism attractions for visitors from Jordan and abroad.

They also called for capitalising on the diverse tourism experiences offered by Umm Qais, especially in heritage and agriculture.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Adviser to His Majesty for Tribal Affairs Atef Hajaya, and Irbid Governor Radwan Otoum attended the meeting.