His Majesty King Abdullah met on Monday with representatives and leading figures from Bani Hamida tribes at the Royal Hashemite Court, as part of the Basman Forum meetings.
 
Speaking at the meeting, attended by Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, King Abdullah welcomed the dignitaries and representatives of Bani Hamida tribes.
 
His Majesty emphasised agriculture, tourism and providing employment opportunities for youth as key priorities in the country’s regions, underscoring the importance of establishing agricultural projects in Dhiban and Mujib, as well as promoting investments in tourism projects in Tafileh and the southern region.
 
The King reaffirmed the need to step up coordination between the government and local communities to develop a plan for 2020.
 
During the meeting, His Majesty also saluted military retirees and their efforts.
 
Responding to a comment on the need for water resources for agricultural projects, the King underscored that a programme designed to advance agriculture in various regions will entail utilising water from dams.
 
His Majesty expressed optimism over the potential of the economy, urging cooperation and coordination among various stakeholders, and tangible progress on the ground that can be felt by all citizens, especially youth through employment opportunities.
 
Moreover, the King said a ministerial team will pay field visits to the various regions to develop plans and programmes related to agriculture and tourism.
 
For their part, Bani Hamida representatives expressed appreciation for His Majesty’s public outreach, voicing pride in the King’s leadership to enhance citizens’ living standard.
 
They underscored their unity behind His Majesty in defending the homeland, expressing pride in the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies.
 
They also commended the King’s position in defending the Palestinian cause and safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, in line with the Hashemite Custodianship, praising His Majesty’s efforts to bolster regional security and stability.
 
For his part, Prime Minister Razzaz highlighted proposed amendments to the law on decentralisation and local administration, stressing the government’s commitment to ensuring the success of governorate councils.
 
The prime minister added that indicators on investment so far show improvement, stressing the need to continue on the right track.
 
Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi, Adviser to His Majesty for Communication and Coordination Bisher Khasawneh, Adviser to His Majesty for Tribal Affairs Saad Hayel Srour, Adviser to His Majesty for Policies and Media Kemal Al Nasser, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Hneiti, and Interior Minister Salameh Hammad attended the meeting, held as part of the Basman Forum meetings to maintain outreach to the public.