Jordan Times
Friday, April 6, 2007
King calls for strategy to develop Wadi
Araba
His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday called for drawing up a strategy to realise
comprehensive development in Wadi Araba and upgrading the services offered to residents of the area.
Chairing a meeting to follow up on his visit to the area last month, King Abdullah
stressed the need to develop the economy of Wadi Araba and create job opportunities
for its residents and those of neighbouring areas to enhance their living standards.
Home to some 10,000 citizens, Wadi Araba includes nine residential areas that are
classified as poverty pockets.
During the meeting attended by senior officials, the Monarch issued directives to the
government to draw up a plan during the next two weeks that consists of a long-term and
a short-term strategy to pave the way for implementing industrial and economic projects
to help alleviate poverty and unemployment in the area.
The strategy, King Abdullah said, should include a plan on how to use land in the area
for investment purposes, calling for long-term solutions to upgrade the living standards
of the citizens.
Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit, who was present at the meeting, said the government would
discuss the situation in Wadi Araba during the next Cabinet session and put together a
plan to develop the area within a week, providing all facilities to render the plan a
success in line with the King’s directives.
It was also agreed during yesterday’s meeting, to seek the advice and assistance of specialists
while drawing up the strategy, which will take into consideration projects to be implemented in
the area, chief among them, the proposed Red-Dead Canal.
Minister of Water and Irrigation Thafer Alem reviewed previous efforts to develop Wadi Araba,
such as the Wadi Al Faidan project and the JD1.5 million Wadi Araba irrigation projects, which
was implemented in 1981, seeking to make use of the area’s underground, water to irrigate several
areas in the Jordan Valley by using advanced techniques.
The minister also reviewed recommendations to establish dams in Wadi Musa and Wadi Rahmeh as
part of the Jordan Valley Authority’s plan seeking to store water and replenish underground water resources.
Yesterday’s meeting is part of the Monarch’s efforts to follow up on his visit to Wadi Araba
in March, where he called for creating several development projects to enhance living conditions
of residents.
Also on Thursday, King Abdullah instructed the government to support societies that care for
the elderly to enable them to overcome their increasing financial difficulties.
The Monarch directed the government to allocate JD100,000 to raise the monthly amount paid by
the Ministry of Social Development for each resident it refers to these homes from JD120 to JD170,
effective as of the beginning of this month.
Royal Court Chief Salem Turk made the announcement during a meeting yesterday with President
of the White Beds Society Haifa Al Bashir and Father Farah Haddad, president of the Orthodox
Society and the Princess Muna Centre for the Elderly, in the presence of Royal Court Adviser Yousef Issawi.
Turk expressed the King’s appreciation of the services extended by these societies to the elderly.
The Royal Makruma is part of a series of initiatives launched by King Abdullah to support different
community brackets, especially the underprivileged, people with disabilities and orphans.
During the Holy Month of Ramadan last year, King Abdullah visited the Golden Age Home, run by the
White Beds Society, and checked on services provided to the residents.
During the visit, King Abdullah instructed the concerned authorities to carry out maintenance work
on the facility, which was established in 1971.
There are three nonprofit homes for the elderly in Jordan which work in close cooperation with the
Ministry of Social Development.