King Abdullah’s Letter of Designation to Bisher Khasawneh to form a new government comes with “clear and specific economic directives at a crucial time and stage”, according to economists and political analysts.
“The new government must aspire to achieve tangible progress on the ground according to the vision and aspirations of His Majesty, as this is a crucial and sensitive time for the Kingdom given its economic reform aspirations in the midst of a pandemic,” said professor of political science Jamal Shalabi.
Professor of finance Bashir Zu’bi said that Khasawneh’s designation is “a step in the right direction for the Kingdom’s desired political and economic reform”, noting that the new government is “required to review the laws governing the economic process and their implementation to activate the partnership between private and public sectors”.
Zu’bi added that His Majesty has “addressed economic affairs wisely by instructing the government to attract investments to the Kingdom in cooperation with the private sector in a manner that achieves a clear strategy for comprehensive economic development”.
The designation has also addressed economic legislation and sustainable development goals in favour of citizens’ interest, noted Zu’bi.
“His Majesty King Abdullah has set the government’s priorities for action for the next phase with clear directions and a focus on certain fields such as agriculture and health. This is all done with a special focus on transparency, the rule of law, justice, fighting corruption and attracting investments,” Shalabi said.
He added that the government should “work according to the directives of His Majesty by choosing an economic ministerial team capable of translating what was mentioned in the designation letter into action”.
According to Walled Dalbouh, a political science professor, the new government “must operate in a way that improves citizens’ living standards, enhances economic stability and reduces poverty and unemployment rates.
“This must all be done according to a framework that is bound by a strict timeline so that performance can be evaluated during each stage,” Dalbouh added.
In previous mandates and the most recent one, His Majesty has been “clear and explicit when it comes to the Kingdom’s economic needs”, said Dalbouh, noting that the new government will “face many challenges that require a speedy and effective treatment given that many of them, such as poverty and unemployment, have not been met with concrete solutions yet.”
This article has been adapted from its original source.
