Panel elected to draft reply to Speech from Throne

AMMAN — The Lower House’s ad hoc committee formed to reply to His Majesty King Abdullah’s recent Speech from the Throne on Tuesday elected MP Mazen Qadi as its president and Deputy Rim Abu Dalbouh as its rapporteur.  

In its previous session, the Lower Chamber tasked the permanent office to form the panel to draft the reply before it is endorsed by the entire House and referred to His Majesty, within 14 days of the Speech from the Throne, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh, who headed the panel meeting, called on members of the committee to finish drafting the reply “quickly” before referring it to the House for endorsement.

Tarawneh highlighted the importance of the reply’s accordance with all of His Majesty’s directives and visions mentioned in the Speech from the Throne, encompassing various domestic and external developments and the challenges that should be addressed through cooperation among relevant authorities. 

The committee elected a micro-panel to form the reply, headed by Qadi with the membership of Abu Dalbouh and MPs Huda Otoum, Ali Hajahjeh and Mustafa Khasawneh. 

In the speech, King Abdullah said the fourth ordinary session is “an ordinary session taking place in extraordinary times, which require transparency and courage, and hard work and achievement in equal measure”.

The King said that Jordan has paid a heavy price because of its historical positions, stressing that the Kingdom has undertaken bold reforms, even in the most difficult of circumstances, demonstrating to the world “that Jordan, whatever the challenges, does not know the impossible”.

Noting that Jordan is moving steadily forward, the King said: “The most difficult reforms are behind us, and the promising future lies ahead. We are marching confidently towards that future to realise the aspirations of the people of this nation.”