King Abdullah II Affirms National Stability as Jordan’s Top Priority

Amman, The Gulf Observer: His Majesty King Abdullah II on Wednesday affirmed that safeguarding Jordan’s national interests and maintaining the Kingdom’s stability remain the country’s absolute priorities, stressing that the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies are fully prepared to confront any threats to Jordanian territory or airspace.

The King made the remarks during a meeting with leading figures and representatives of Ma’an Governorate at Al Hussein bin Talal University, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty said, “the land of the Nashama has nothing to fear,” underscoring Jordan’s confidence in its ability to protect its security and sovereignty.

The King said his visit to Ma’an was aimed at identifying opportunities to improve local infrastructure and public services and directed the government to give these efforts high priority. He also called on officials to continue field visits to various areas to directly assess citizens’ needs and address their concerns.

Discussing his recent visit to the United Kingdom, King Abdullah highlighted efforts to attract investment to Jordan, strengthen the national economy and expand international economic partnerships.

He said upcoming visits to a number of key countries would focus on opening new markets for Jordanian exports and attracting high-value investments to the Kingdom.

Speaking during the meeting, Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said the government was advancing plans for the Aqaba-Ma’an Dry Port, which is expected to become a logistics and industrial hub linked to the Aqaba-Shidiyeh railway project. He said the project would receive government support to enhance its viability for the private sector, while stressing the importance of integrating Aqaba Port and the Ma’an Dry Port within a unified development framework.

The prime minister said the government had taken measures to address investment challenges in the Ma’an Development Zone, including reducing land prices and electricity costs.

He also highlighted measures to revive Petra’s tourism sector and restore the historic destination to its position as a leading global tourist attraction. The initiatives include organizing events designed to attract visitors and stimulate the local economy.

Hassan further announced that work on Jordan’s first comprehensive school transportation project, linking Ma’an with the southern governorates, would begin at the start of the next academic year. The project is expected to be expanded in the future to cover central and northern governorates.

He said five new schools had been completed in Ma’an, while construction was underway on six additional schools expected to be completed next year.

Regarding the Ma’an Military Hospital, Hassan said construction of the main building had been completed, with the Royal Medical Services currently equipping the facility. The hospital is expected to become operational next year.

He added that the blood bank and outpatient clinic building at Ma’an Public Hospital had been completed, while construction had begun on a diabetes and endocrinology centre at a cost of five million dinars.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi briefed the meeting on the implementation of several Royal initiatives in Ma’an, particularly in education, youth, healthcare, social development, tourism, income-generating projects and municipal services.

Representatives of the governorate outlined key local challenges and called for further improvements in healthcare, education, agriculture, water, transportation, infrastructure and local development. They also stressed the need for greater support for military retirees and initiatives aimed at empowering women.

The participants expressed appreciation for the King’s continued support for Ma’an and its residents.

Prior to the meeting, King Abdullah visited the Al Qantara Centre for Human Resources Development, where he was briefed on its programmes and services. The centre has provided services to around 51,000 people across Ma’an and the Southern Badia region.

The King toured the centre’s facilities, including English-language classrooms, a music room and technical training laboratories specializing in electronics, programming and smart-systems design.

During his interaction with young people benefiting from the centre’s programmes, His Majesty heard about their experiences and how the skills acquired through the centre were helping them contribute to the development of their local communities.

Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh and Adviser to His Majesty for Tribal Affairs Kneiaan Bluwi also attended the meeting.