AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday expressed pride in meeting with the people of Zarqa Governorate, recalling his memories of his earlier days when he joined the army and expressing his understanding of the governorate's problems.
At a meeting with dignitaries and representatives of Zarqa Governorate at the Royal Court, the King said it was in Zarqa "where I had many memories since my early days with the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and where I have made friendships with many of Zarqa's people during my military service."
"I am aware of the challenges facing the governorate, especially regarding the environment, services and the population density problem," the King told the governorate representatives, according to a statement by the Royal Court.
At the meeting, which came in line with the King’s commitment to keep in contact with all Jordanians throughout the Kingdom, the King re-asserted that “combating poverty and unemployment is a priority for us”.
“For years, I have been highlighting the importance of focusing on the economy,” he said.
As for the country’s security and stability, the King assured Jordanians that they remain intact.
This year, the Jordanian people will celebrate the centennial of the Great Arab Revolt and the 70th anniversary of the Kingdom’s independence, he noted, pointing out that “there is a lot of work ahead to achieve the aspired progress”.
The King expressed his confidence in the Jordan Armed Forces and security bodies, noting that they are capable of protecting Jordan, emphasising that his main concern is to improve the Jordanian people’s standards of living.
“I am not worried about the political, security and military situation. The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and the security bodies are capable of protecting Jordan,” he said.
“Our duty today is to improve Jordanians’ standards of living, as a main goal for all of us.”
He noted that a main challenge facing Jordan is that it imports a large part of its energy needs from abroad, in addition to fact that it is now hosting a large number of Syrian refugees, “which have affected the state budget”.