The government is entering its third year in office, alongside the House of Representatives, without the rumors that have followed them in the past regarding the departure of the former or the dissolution of the latter. It also appears that the current composition of the Senate will remain unchanged.
اضافة اعلان
Dr. Jaafar Hassan’s government, as it prepares for its third parliamentary session late next month, is looking ahead to the next two years, during which it intends to maintain the same pace of work witnessed during the first half of its expected four-year term. Beyond that, however, all possibilities remain open.
After all this time, the government’s challenge is no longer simply to prove its presence or deliver on its program. It passed the test of achievement early on. Over the past two years, there has hardly been a sector in which it has not left a clear mark. The Prime Minister and his team have also been effective in managing expectations. The government’s experience was not ideal for all ministers: some failed to deliver, while others missed the train and left at the first stop.
Yet any fair observer of public affairs in Jordan can say without hesitation that Hassan’s government has delivered on its program during its first two years in office.
We previously described this government as an executive government par excellence, and that is precisely what the country needs. Jordanians have long complained about the snail’s pace at which development and service projects move, as well as governments’ failure to fulfill their commitments to the public.
Major projects, including the National Water Carrier, railways and ports, have moved from plans toward reality. The same applies to service projects in vital sectors such as education and healthcare, with dozens of new schools, hospitals and health centers being established across most governorates. There has also been significant progress on the energy file, which, if successful, could place Jordan within the circle of energy security for the first time.
The Economic Modernisation Vision has been the foundation upon which the government has built its executive programs, and it will continue working to implement them in the coming phase, as promised. Public finances, which have long suffered from chronic problems, have reached an advanced stage of recovery despite the burden of debt and the regional crises that confront us whenever we take a step forward. For the first time, we have a clear and practical approach to dealing with public debt interest payments, along with a full capacity to meet all our external obligations.
However, achieving results that have a direct impact on citizens’ lives remains the key challenge. Over the next two years, this challenge will become even more pressing. We should also note the government’s decision to increase public-sector employees’ salaries by JD30 at the beginning of next year, in an unprecedented move in terms of the size of the increase.
The government has moved beyond the establishment phase of a new approach to managing various sectors. In the next phase, however, what has been achieved in improving the quality of services and advancing development and investment will not be enough. What is needed—and I believe it is very much on the minds of the Prime Minister and his ministers—is a tangible change in unemployment and poverty indicators, as well as the cost of living.
The government has created favorable conditions for making a tangible difference in these areas. Achieving that, however, will require the same level of efficiency and speed in order to reach what could be described as economic growth directed toward serving national objectives, rather than merely producing figures and percentages that impress creditors.
Amid the government’s preoccupation with its programmed and emergency tasks, it should also return to a policy of communication with representatives of Jordan’s social and economic forces, including professional associations, chambers of industry and commerce, political parties, and various groups representing different views and orientations. Continuous engagement with key actors in public affairs can help the government build lasting allies for its agenda, assess the impact of its work, and correct mistakes.
The government had plenty of achievements to showcase after two years in office, and the public has given it credit for what it has accomplished. Now, it awaits the public’s final verdict after the next two years.
