His Majesty King Abdullah II
Message Written by His
Majesty King Abdullah II
as a Royal Contribution to "The Report: Emerging Jordan 2007"
September 2007
As I write, Jordan and the Arab
World are looking ahead to a “youth boom” that promises to transform our
region’s history as much as the oil boom of the 1970s and 1980s. Of the region’s
325m people, more than 200m are under the age of 24. The share of the population
held by youth is growing and will not peak until after 2040.
This means that in the next four to five decades the Middle East, a region of
great but still largely untapped potential, will be populated mainly by citizens
at the prime of their productive lives. These young men and women can achieve
for themselves and their societies the standards of living enjoyed throughout
Europe, North America and much of Asia. But their success will depend on what is
done now to empower them, through education, opportunity, and a role in
progress.
In Jordan, the private and public sectors and NGOs are working together to meet
that need. Our country has already made difficult decisions for structural and
economic reforms, to ensure the coming generations inherit a stable economy with
long-term, international competitiveness.
Jordan’s sound fiscal and economic policies and our commitment to
private-sector, trade-led growth have already produced results: a more open
economy, growing diversity in exports and investments, more opportunities and
higher standards of living for Jordanians, and seven years of economic growth
averaging almost 6 per cent per year (6.4 per cent in 2006).
Such results reflect a process that lets government concentrate on governing,
lets the private sector drive economic growth and brings both together to
maximise the impact in areas of critical national need. One area of cooperation
is education.
Jordan’s educational system has earned global recognition for equal access and
achievement, from kindergarten through university. We want to build on that
history to meet 21st century needs. This requires broadening the knowledge and
skills sets of our youth, to prepare them for the contemporary labour market,
and supporting their creativity and talents. Public-private sector efforts such
as the Jordan Education Initiative have introduced the latest information and
communication technology into the classroom. Curriculum reforms are targeting
technical and vocational skills and training opportunities are being expanded.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Labour, the Jordan Armed Forces and private
sector enterprises initiated a unique jobs-skills programme that will give young
Jordanians on-the-job training in the trades needed by the booming construction
industry being driven by record levels of investment in Jordan.
We know that human creativity and leadership is at the heart of development in
the 21st century - and it is the catalyst for the success of Jordan’s business
and cultural communities. We want to encourage and involve young people at every
level. I’m proud to say that the King Abdullah Fund for Development has a
designated fund promoting student innovation and excellence.
Policymakers and business leaders are also helping young Jordanians develop the
decision-making abilities needed in the modern economy, such as the INJAZ
programme, which builds skills in areas such as communication, entrepreneurship
and problem-solving. And Jordan’s cultural leaders have sparked a new humanities
initiative, to open new opportunities for young Jordanians to excel in
film-making, design and the fine and performing arts - enriching national life
and reaching out to a global group of peers and audiences.
Hard opportunities are also being expanded through pioneering development
initiatives such as the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ). ASEZ takes advantage
of Aqaba’s competitive attributes, tourism and logistics - and growth is fuelled
by decentralised governance and world-class investment incentives.
A single-point development body in place to create an economic environment
conducive to investment, innovation and job creation. The initiative has
succeeded beyond expectations, and in the past year, we began bringing the model
to other communities. Similar areas are being created in an underprivileged area
to the Mafraq Governorate and in the university city of Irbid, and we are also
studying their application in the Jordan Valley and Wadi Araba.
These and other efforts are not simply creating new jobs but new horizons for
young Jordanians, enabling them to create, innovate and share in building the
future that they deserve. Yet, we also recognise that the future for us and the
entire region depends on achieving regional peace.
As history has proved in other regions as well as our own, ongoing conflict is a
tremendous barrier to trans-border cooperation, knowledge and technology
exchange, investment, trade, and all the other elements of sustainable, dynamic
regional economies. The threat of violence also deeply distorts the confidence,
security and law that stable, thriving communities depend on.
Arab and Israeli young people, Muslim, Christian and Jewish, must be empowered
by peace. Ensuring that this is so is the greatest calling of today’s generation
of leaders, and it must begin with a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict.
This is the core conflict in our region; one that affects life and attitudes
across all generations. And now is a critical time for action, to prevent the
serious spread of division and violence in the region and beyond. In fact, an
opportunity to achieve a final settlement to this historic conflict exists. Last
March, Arab leaders unanimously renewed the Arab Peace Initiative. It provides a
framework for negotiations towards a comprehensive and lasting settlement to the
Arab-Israeli conflict, beginning with the conflict between Palestinians and
Israelis. Implementation will create two states living side by side in peace -
Israel and, at long last, a viable, sovereign and independent Palestine - as
well as an agreed solution to the Palestinian refugee question, and collective
security guarantees for all the countries of the region, including Israel.
Jordan has taken a lead in seeking a renewed international commitment to the
hard work of Middle East peace. In this, as in other approaches to the future,
we see a major role for leadership from across society - not just government but
business, academia, humanitarian organisations, and others. All must be involved
in raising the issue as a global priority. In building the framework for
success, and in creating the post-peace world.
Our partnership will create a new beginning for millions of people, especially
young people, who need and deserve the 21st-century advantages enjoyed by so
many of their peers around the world: a good education, rewarding work, and
security to raise their families and live lives of dignity. Jordan is committed
to that goal.
I have every confidence that as our young people are empowered - with knowledge,
with opportunity, with peace and security - they will transform our region in
ways that we cannot even imagine.