Your Excellency Faisal El-Fayez,
Greetings,

Throughout your work with me during the past years, I knew you as faithful person who enjoys all virtues and good qualities that have characterized your performance and stands. In all the assignments we have entrusted you to undertake, you were always a man of initiative and devotion in implementing our directives and implementing them on the ground, with all loyalty, dedication and sincerity.

Because the will of change in the coming stage requires someone who could translate into practice our vision that aims primarily to upgrade the life of our people and secure a prosperous future for our young men and women, I have chosen you to form a new government that has the willingness and the ability to realize the envisioned change and reap the fruit of development and welfare. Regardless of the clarity of the vision and its ability to identify shortcomings and find solutions, it would not become full-fledged without the will and the ability to transform wishes and hopes into tangible reality. As we appreciate the work of the previous government and the ones preceding it that have successively carried the torch of sincere performance and persevering work during the past years and thank them for their accomplishments, we will always carry in the mind and heart their achievements and honorable service to their beloved homeland, Jordan, in the past and the present.

We all owe our faithful Jordanian people joint work to secure them the prosperous future they are worth of, and Jordan is worth of as a model and modern country. In our way to achieve that noble end, we are now standing at the threshold of a new era during which we will move from the Jordan of the present to the future Jordan, supported by our and your faith that we are always for Jordan.

The change we are looking forward to is not an end in itself, but rather a means to realize the vision. Therefore, it is time that we evaluate with impartiality the march of our previous governments, away from generalizing their experiences and criticizing their performance. That is because we have transcended from judging on the basis of personal sentiments into rational and sincere diagnosis free from any considerations. Therefore, we should notice the aspects of weakness that sometimes characterized their performance, and the lack of coordination between their members, which affected the spirit of teamwork and reflected negatively on harmony among them and the achievement of goals envisaged.

The government change is aimed to realize fixed rather than mobile and temporary goals. We want this government change because it is time to move with our vision from theory to practice, to willingness to fruitful and comprehensive efforts, to an initiative followed by another, and an accomplishment followed by another. This country deserves such endeavors; our children deserve a strong and prosperous Jordan that sets an example of a Muslim and Arab democracy that is deeply entrenched, economically advanced, and founded on the principles of justice, equality and equal opportunities; a country where political pluralism, the supremacy of law and respect of rights prevail. We want the government change to achieve our priorities without hesitation, fear or delay.

On top of these priorities is political development with all its aspects. After we have, thank God, had the blessings of security and stability, and gone a long way on the road of entrenching democracy in deeds not in words, it is time we apply the concept of political development in which all the sectors and political powers of the society take part. We want honesty, accountability and transparency. We want effective and real participation by Jordanian women and youth whose potential should be activated and invested in the different walks of life. We realize that there would be no comprehensive development without investment in the youth and without women obtaining their full rights in the society. We want political development that yields strong and unified political parties of different characters that fulfill the concept of Jordan First and preserve the country's pride and strength.

We want a democracy that is based on dialogue, respect of others' viewpoints. We want reforms to the judiciary that embodies honesty and neutrality as well as safeguards rights. We want responsible freedom of the press that serves the goals of the Jordanian state, represents the conscience and the identity of citizens and reflects Jordan's willingness and the aspirations of its men and women. We want honest and responsible media that embody the country's conscience and identity and enjoy freedom of expression and pluralism in opinion. We want media that embody our vision of change and be professional and capable of making difference, rather than scared, helpless and hesitant media. The media should highlight Jordan's role at the Arab and regional levels. At the time we have been able to carry our message abroad, our media has failed to convey our message and display our achievements to citizens, and remained passive recipients rather than influential players.

The political development we envision is one that seeks knowledge and enlightenment for all, and works to emphasize our bright, civilized and deep-rooted Islamic identity that is based on tolerance and creativity. Jordan should be highlighted as a model Muslim country.

The government has a big chance to prepare modern laws that contribute in rendering political development a success. We want an advanced political parties law and a democratic elections law on the basis of which the 2007 elections would be held, in addition to political openness to all sectors of the society.

If political development was on top of our priorities, feasible, economic development with tangible results has also been in the core of these priorities since I assumed my responsibilities. Our people have tolerated economic and living conditions some of which, as we all realize, were brought about by the regional developments and were beyond our will. Nevertheless, it is time that we address domestic reasons that impede achievement of comprehensive development, the fruit of which could be reaped by all Jordanian men and women struggling for a decent life and a better future.

Therefore, economic development should be coupled with economic reforms based on our own resources and competitive edge. Reforms should also be accomplished through administrative reforms that reward the hardworking, spur the reluctant and cast out the corrupt. The economic development we are after must realize economic achievements, pushes up growth rate, secures jobs on a comprehensive scale, reduces unemployment and urges all to embrace work and fully take part in reaping its yield.

The economic development that we have employed all our potential to achieve should ensure recovery from poverty, and real economic prosperity through attracting investments, upgrading legislations and removing all imbalances so that we could move ahead away from traditional economy into a modern and prosperous economy.

The fruits of sustainable economic and political development area manifest in social development of all brackets of the local community. Comprehensive social development involves education, vocational training and healthcare.

There is an urgent need to achieve this comprehensive development with all its dimensions in order to realize our vision, which is characterized by unity in goals. Differences in opinion are ruled out, provided that the essence is one and objectives are set with clarity and without hesitation.

The sought government performance is full commitment by members of the Cabinet to teamwork and unity in will and ambition that urges them to achieve tangible results. We need a government of ministers rather than employees, a team acting in harmony with no exceptions and one that embraces the principle of transparency with no limits. Ministers should declare the goals of their respective ministries with absolute clarity, constantly share with citizens the results achieved, point to loopholes and spots of difficulty with firmness and courage and spur all those concerned to join efforts so as to remove all obstacles facing.

The principle of absolute transparency, coupled with that of accountability and taking responsibility for performance are the basis of success. The government that meets our aspirations and secures our children what they deserve is the one that assumes its responsibilities collectively as a work team while each individual minister takes responsibility for his respective portfolio. The government which I want comprises of a prime minister and ministers who work hand-in-hand facing the difficulties, act with transparency, and responds with broadmindedness to press constructive, rather than destructive, criticism. Ministers should respect accountability and appreciate responsibility. These are the qualities that certainly yield rewards and satisfaction for the ministers on the one hand, and guarantee the country the stability, prosperity and welfare it deserves.

Your Excellency,

The vision I have for the future and renaissance of Jordan is crystal clear because it has distinct features and goals. Therefore we are ambitious to have a self-motivated government that we do not have to ask at every turn what it has achieved and what its future plans are. We want this government to base its performance on specific and detailed mechanisms to implement decisions so that the vision is translated into facts on the ground. Having said this, there is a need for swift action to develop the decision making process away from bureaucratic delays and baseless justifications. This necessitates that government decisions are made in a clear, institutionalized and transparent manner through all the necessary channels. We have an absolute belief that adopting such a mechanism as a basic methodology is the ultimate guarantee for proper evaluation of individual ministries' productivity and consistency and accumulative output of decisions. Each ministry should seek perfection through the sequence of decisions it takes and achievements it realizes until the envisioned goals are accomplished and the desirable change is there in all fields of development.

Mechanisms of decision implementation are vital, and not mere detailing of practical steps. These mechanisms control the rhythm of development efforts, and serve as measurements of achievement and progress towards the goals envisaged in the vision.

We want the government to endeavor to narrow the gap and enhance feasibility and productivity; we want it to interact, to integrate, to take initiatives and to work relentlessly and perseveringly until the goals are achieved. We looks forward to a government that cooperates with the Parliament and coordinates with the Legislative Authority to help boost its performance and monitoring function.

We look forward to a government that sets the framework to evaluate its performance, progress towards its goals, techniques and methodology. It should also set methods for self-correction. We want a government whose action speaks for it, one that couples words with deeds.

As we look forward to a government effective at the domestic level, we are also ambitious to have a government effective at the Arab and regional levels so that we will remain as always the supporting force behind the brotherly Palestinian people with the aim of helping them achieve their goals of liberation and independence. We want to remain true supporters of the brotherly Iraq in its pursuit of its free and independent will, and we want our government to set an example of Arab solidarity and efforts to enhance joint Arab action.

I am full of confidence that any government that sincerely works to fulfill our vision and the aspirations of our children will meet success. I am expecting from your excellency to provide me with a list of your ministerial team whom you trust they are capable of translating into reality our vision for Jordan First and Last. We wish you good luck.

Peace be upon you, and God's mercy and blessings.

Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein

Amman, 26 Sha'aban 1424 Hijri
22 October 2003