King forms panel to follow up on integrity plan implementation

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday tasked former minister Rajai Muasher to chair a Royal commission entrusted with evaluating and following up on the implementation of the Executive Plan of National Integrity Charter, a Royal Court statement said.  

The plan was endorsed by a national conference held last year, and in December, the King attended a ceremony to launch the National Integrity Charter and Executive Plan, where 2,000 officials, community leaders and representatives of various sectors were present. 

The charter addresses major public concerns while its Executive Plan includes a detailed framework and timeline to complete a set of projects and laws to boost national integrity and prevent corruption.

The approved plans and programmes address financial corruption and set guidelines to safeguard public money and assets, uproot corruption in the wider sense of the word and improve services offered to citizens.

In a letter the King sent to Muasher Sunday assigning him to the mission, he described the charter as a landmark feature on the path of comprehensive reform which seeks to provide a better life for the people through boosting the democratic approach, fostering the values of justice, respecting citizens’ rights and safeguarding their freedoms.

Following is an unofficial translation of the letter: 

Your Excellency Dr Rajai Muasher,

Greetings,

The drafting of the National Integrity System constitutes a milestone in the process of comprehensive reform which seeks to provide a better life for our proud people through boosting the democratic approach, fostering the values of justice, respecting citizens’ rights and safeguarding their freedoms.

This will result in entrenching the principles of integrity which we seek as the pillars of good governance in our dear homeland.

The achievement made by the Royal Commission to Enhance the National Integrity System is worthy of our appreciation and a source of pride for us. Such an achievement has fostered a unique Jordanian approach to the challenges facing us. 

The National Integrity Charter is the fruit of a remarkable national collective effort in which the spectra of the Jordanian community took part, working as one team with a high sense of national responsibility. We are grateful to all of them.

Regarding the national mission ahead, all authorities and national institutions have the responsibility to fully cooperate and maintain continued coordination so that the National Integrity Charter will be adopted as a reference that everyone will abide by. All are expected to translate its Executive Plan into action, and ensure it is implemented within the fixed timeframe. The aim is to enroot the principles of integrity, transparency, justice, accountability, high-quality performance and anti-corruption practices to preserve public money and protect public interests. 

Accordingly, we hereby assign you to chair a Royal commission tasked with evaluating progress and follow up on accomplishment, with full transparency, during the next stage, to comprise the following personalities:

-   His Excellency Dr Hamza Ahmad Haddad

-   His Excellency the president of the Economic and Social Council

-   His Excellency the president of the board of trustees of the National Centre for Human Rights

-   His Excellency Abdul Majeed Thneibat

-   Her Excellency Abla Abu Olbeh

-   Wadah Barqawi 

-   Bassem Tweissi