Your Excellency, our dear Abdul Ra'ouf Al Rawabdeh,

I am sending you true affection and deep appreciation. We have known you as one of the great, well-seasoned and loyal men of Jordan; a man with true affiliation and allegiance to your leadership and nation, daring and brave in upholding righteousness, a trustworthy Jordanian working with diligence and loyalty, known for competence and integrity in every position you have assumed throughout your long service to the Throne and nation.

I am addressing you at a moment, which witnesses a new promising stage. I have assumed responsibility succeeding my great father, may God bless his soul. Along with the loyal Jordanian people, the late King has built a nation with sweat and efforts creating an oasis of security, stability and great achievements. The present stage, with its circumstances, givens and requirements calls for cohesiveness and harmony, a united and mobilized march encompassing all efforts to finalize national construction, develop the institutions and carry out fundamental reforms in all fields.

As now the government of Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh has resigned, I entrust you with the formation of a government for the new stage, hoping that it will comprise efficient and distinguished leaders able to shoulder the heavy burdens, foremost of which is the task of revitalizing the national economy in cooperation with the various forces, and the private and public sectors and enhancing the Jordanian citizen's capacity in meeting the challenges of life. It will be a government that can solidity democracy, stress the rule of law, strengthen national unity, preserve national security and stability and manage the affairs of the nation in a climate of justice, integrity and good performance.

The present stage requires the setting of plans and clear approaches which determine the needs and concerns of citizens, the establishment of practical solutions to meet these needs and concerns, and the realistic application of these objectives within the nation's means. Therefore, it is imperative to:

1. National unity constitutes one of the basic components, which empowers the nation and gives it strength and prevents any disruption or penetration. Jordan has always served as a home for all Arabs, a model society for the cohesive and united family in good and bad times, a country where all people are partners in work and construction and committed to protecting the homeland and its interests. All Jordanian, men and women, regardless of their ethnic origin, religion and views are equal before the law and partners in performing their duties and in enjoying benefits. Strengthening national unity comes about through the rule of law for all, without discrimination. It is achieved by solidifying democracy, safeguarding human rights, and applying justice on sound and clear foundations. The government will achieve a balance among the country's various regions, will apply the law with firmness against all those who seek to disrupt national unity. The state, with its constitutional authorities, is the sole representative of the entire people and it is responsible for protecting the rights of all factions. Duty requires from us to unify all efforts so that citizens can form a united force with consolidated ranks to build the nation, protect its security and stability and help shape a bright future with God's will.
2. Democracy serves as the best model for life, but it constantly requires deepening of its meanings and mass education at its very roots and exercise through education and national guidance. Our legislative institution is a source of pride for us and for our nation. It is a true representative of our people's will. We look forward to close cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities to protect the country's higher national interests within the framework of commitment to constitutional powers for each. We underline the need for all facilities to help the legislative authority carry out its task and we call for deepening of responsible dialogue with all national institutions within a framework of commitment and the principles of the Constitution, free of fanaticism and free of attempts to disregard other's views. Wisdom is an objective sought by the faithful and we all are partners in shouldering responsibility for the dear homeland and its progress.
3. We take pride in our Jordanian judiciary, its independence and its performance. We call for supporting the judiciary through developing a law to ensure the independence of the judiciary and through improving the working conditions of the judges and promoting legislation that governs the judicial process in order to facilitate and speed up the process of securing the rights of all. Prompt justice is bound to enhance citizen's confidence and reassure them of their rights and freedoms.
4. Our valiant Armed Forces serve as the title of our pride as they protect the homeland and democracy. The Armed Forces reflects the bright image of our nation in all fields at the local, pan-Arab and international levels. It is incumbent upon your government to provide support, modern arms and care to the Armed Forces so that they can remain committed to their pledge, performing their sacred duty in defending the homeland, contributing towards protecting peace in the region, and rendering distinguished service in contributing to the protection of world peace in various parts of the world. Our security services, which safeguard the nation and its citizens, require full support and the most modern means in stability for the nation and reassurance for its citizens. They enjoy the backing and appreciation of all Jordanian citizens.
5. A Public administration which can achieve objectives at less cost and in shorter time is a wise and efficient administration which helps to create effective and specialised institutions acting with team spirit under efficient and able leadership marked by integrity, placing the public interest above all other considerations. It is one that is characterised by justice, initative and creativity, focusing on fieldwork, confronting problems before they arise and before they become too complicated to solve. This administration should be free of the ills of exploitation, favorites, and manipulation. Public administration requires restructuring to prevent any overlapping of duty and duality and also calls for the choice of leaders and employees on the basis of efficiency, experience and integrity, free of factionalism and fanaticism for any purpose or party. It also requires modernization of all procedures with the purpose of simplifying and facilitating people's access to services without extra effort and cost. Administrative and financial corruption destroys societies and weakens states and countries. Our public administration has constantly been marked by efficiency and integrity, has set examples with its good performance and achievements, and has made valuable contributions to the administration of other Arab societies. However, some pockets of dereliction, incompetence and unreliability have started to appear if no action is taken to put an end to them. Such behavior is certain to spread and it is something, which we cannot allow to happen, and which we will counter firmly. Thus the government is required to place controls and introduce measures, which will restore the bright image of our administration and confront all aspects of dereliction and corruption with force. It should remove all elements, which have a tendency or encourage such negative behavior, regardless of their position or responsibilities. The public administration should rear to our fair judiciary any persons who abuse or exploit public positions and those who try to mass fortunes or allow others to do so by exploiting their positions.
6. Unemployment and poverty are two major concerns for the country, impeding the process of growth and adversely affecting the nation's capabilities. They are also causing further suffering for citizens for whom we, as Hashemites, are constantly trying to provide an honourable life with all our potential and efforts. Therefore, the government should place at the top of its priorities the question of confronting these two problems through comprehensive development in all domains, through enhancing the role of the social aid funds and integrate their work and unify their administrative umbrella and implement the social safety net plan in a serious manner. The government should conduct a practical and realistic study of the situation to determine the extent of the problem with a view to dealing with it, not waiting for complaints to come. Citizens have the right to work and they have the right to have an honourable life. No obstacles or justifications should stand in their way of attaining these rights. The government should act promptly and seriously and in accordance with a clear plan towards replacing foreign workers with local people and should speed up the process of exporting a Jordanian labour force to brotherly countries.
7. Jordan's economy is facing recession for different reasons. The national economic restructuring program has succeeded in realising many achievements but it requires a revision in light of changes and new developments and this should be done in cooperation with specialised regional and international institutions, which have expressed desire to help, and in conjunction with the private sector whose contributions and achievements enjoy our appreciation. This is required in order to deal with the imbalances, create the appropriate climate for investments, remove obstacles impeding investment and unify the parties dealing with this sector. Restructuring is also necessary to ensure the fair distribution of national income to all sectors, to increase savings and rationalise consumption, boost production and exports, create new jobs, give due attention to tourism, transport and other services as well as to mineral resources, introduce plans for agriculture that can ensure better income for farmers acquire new types of crops that would boost farmers' income and consume less water, make available equipment for production and provide soft loans for the purpose. The process of privatisation is in need of development by modernising its institutions and defining their policy in a transparent manner to safeguard public funds, and their use.
8. Despite its achievements, the educational process is in need of constant development to raise its level and improve its output. The government should give due attention to national education and enhance the sense of national belonging. It should focus on dialogue in an atmosphere of moderation and tolerance, give due attention to educational technology, raise the proficiency of teachers, improve their living conditions, enhance the role of universities as minarets of creativity, free thinking and expression, free of fanaticism, and tutelage and turn out highly educated people able to show good performance that can contribute to the spreading of knowledge and national awareness.
9. We need to give care to culture and the development of cultural institutions, which can attract competent persons to release the potential of creativity, which reflects our people's true image and their active role in the culture of the nation and its causes. Such elements should bear the sense of national belonging and uphold the values of righteousness and justice, opening the country to the cultures of the world rather than having a tendency towards introversion.
10. Our national media needs constant attention so that it truly reflects the country's image, its march towards democracy; it's achievements, and the climate of responsible freedom in which it is living. Jordan is in need of an efficient media institution contributing towards spreading awareness and national guidance, one that can convey Jordan's message to the whole world through free and responsible press characterised by seriousness, balance and enjoying credibility. We need broadcasting services, which address the nation's concerns, reflect its actual situation, and attract people with honest and objective views regardless of their opinions and thoughts. This should take place within the framework of freedom and responsible expression, not damaging the country's values, achievements and exploiting the atmosphere of democracy in order to hurt it. We require a media that can evaluate with awareness and offers positive criticism.
11. This country takes pride in the message of Islam and its immortal legacy. We as Hashemites take pride in this patrimony. Therefore we must project a bright image of Islam and we must confront all attempts at distorting it from any source. We must give due concern to religious guidance with all that its stands for: values of cooperation, fraternity and affection free of any bigotry. We must develop our mosque institutions and their pulpits as a means for propagating God's teachings, wisdom and good morals and we must have well-trained and fair preachers and we must take care of their affairs.
12. Our health services are a distinguished example in the region. We need to give these services due attention and deal with all aspects of regression of such services and must work toward raising their efficiency and providing good health service to the public as close as possible to their places of residence. It is essential to re-examine the health policy in terms of institutions, capabilities, equipment and management. We must, in the near future, expand the health insurance umbrella in order to be able to reach comprehensive health insurance that would include all, especially those with limited income to be able to enjoy ideal health care services. We must promote preventive medicine and give due concern to therapeutic tourism and provide facilities and organisation that would promote them in the service of the national economy.
13. Our consumption of energy and water is on the increase. We import our energy, and our water resources are limited. We are in need of intensifying our search and prospective for new sources of energy specially oil shale. We must find new water resources and build more dams, ration water consumption, speed up the installation of new water networks, and wastewater treatment plants. Drought is of serious consequence to the farmers and livestock breeders. Therefore concerned institutions should give utmost attention to farmers to help them overcome the adverse effects of drought.
14. The environment is being exposed to damage and it needs special attention that guarantees activating and developing legislation to protect the environment, to make available specialised and efficient cadres capable of carrying out serious fieldwork. We need to involve all private and public institutions and organisations in protecting soil, water and air from pollution, and protecting the agricultural land and combating soil erosion and desertification. We need to protect the natural reserves and create more forests, and carry out a comprehensive national effort to plant and develop forest areas.
15. The youth are the future of the country, and it is essential to release their potential and direct them towards public and national service. Youth potential should be organised in collective frameworks that include all parts of the country and utilize the youths' pastime in activities that will be of use to them and the nation. Focus should be on education and vocational training with the objective of meeting the country's needs of trained labour to replace the foreign workforce. The professional associations and labour unions should play a leading role in promoting trades and providing the best service to citizens. The sports institutions need attention and support and reorganisation to enhance their role in caring for the youth, releasing their potentials and strengthening their national pride. The upcoming 9th Pan-Arab Games (Al Hussein Games) require due attention and distinguished efforts for their success to be worthy of carrying the name of the great late King.
16. The role of women has assumed added importance. The Jordanian women's role has developed through their participation in numerous social, political, and economic fields making women an essential pillar in the country's development and construction. Therefore we need to highlight this role especially in the rural regions and the badia. We have been witnessing some phenomena that has aggravated the suffering of women and violated their basic rights. We look forward to witnessing amendments to legislation that deprive them of their rights or do them injustice, and we should provide them all facilities to help them carry out their role as partners in work and construction without any discrimination of preferentially. Children are also in need of care and protection from violence, homelessness and abuse. We need to ensure natural and balanced growth for children within the family and the society and through social care institutions.
17. Jordan has been offering the Palestinian brothers support and participation on the basis of fraternity and the one destiny. Jordan has played a prominent role in the Palestine issue since its inception until today and stood by the Palestinian National Authority with all its might. My father, the late King Hussein played a key role in this concern to help attain an honourable and just solution and to overcome all impediments they face. We will continue to support these brothers in different forms and means to help the Palestinian people regain their legitimate rights and establish their independent state on their national soil. We look forward to establishing distinguished relations between the two brotherly people at their free will, making these relations a model that can always be developed.
18. Jordan has always and will continue to constitute an integral part of its Arab nation and will be active in Pan-Arab political action, seeking to achieve agreement and consensus and seeking to build strong ties of constructive cooperation among all Arab states to overcome all causes of differences based on our joint goals and destiny. We reemphasize the need for maintaining strong ties with all brothers based on affection, confidence, cooperation and mutual respect. The government has to pursue the process of dialogue with all the Arab states, without any exception, and promote our ties with them. We have witnessed the Arab countries stand during the funeral of the late King and we need to build on this stand and safeguard higher Arab interests. We must be keen on safeguarding Arab countries' sovereignty without interfering in their internal affairs. We will continue to work towards ending the suffering of the Iraqi, Libyan and Sudanese people. We must stand firmly by our brothers in Syria and Lebanon to regain their occupied territories.
19. Jordan enjoys a good reputation and respect from various countries of the world, a status that was created by the great late King through his efforts, credibility and diligence. This has been acknowledged by world leaders in the best manner in what the world has called the funeral of the 20th century. We should pursue efforts to activate our international relations in a framework of cooperation, joint interests and mutual respect. We must clarify Jordan's role in an objective and responsible manner in all regional and international fore.
    We need to develop and upgrade our diplomatic institution in a manner that defines their goals and duties in a clear manner and guarantees efficient leaderships with a true sense of belonging and guarantees active management.
20. Peace is our strategic option and it is so for our Arab brothers. We seek a just and durable peace for all on all tracks based on justice and on international charters. We believe in peace as a means for security, stability and development. We will continue to insist on the march for peace, as we are quite certain that the will and persistence of peoples will eventually overcome all obstacles, and impediments until it prevails in the entire region and helps it achieve progress and prosperity.