Prime Minister’s Interview: Despite the Tone of Optimism, the Discourse Failed to Address the Core Issues of the Jordanian Street

In his first televised interview on Jordan TV, Prime Minister Dr. Jafar Hassan delivered a speech carrying clear messages about the government’s domestic and regional plans, an address that political and economic experts described as serious and calm. While showing cautious optimism, it simultaneously raised the ceiling of expectations and linked the government’s credibility to its ability to transform promises into actual achievements. Experts noted that the interview presented an integrated government work program focusing on the economy and field work, while reshaping the relationship with Parliament and solidifying Jordanian positions on regional issues, foremost among them Gaza and Syria, emphasizing that the coming phase will be decisive in evaluating the government’s performance. Despite the optimistic tone, experts believe the interview did not answer several fundamental questions occupying citizens, such as income and living standards, rising prices, electricity bills, and unemployment, in addition to the file of rotating positions and the repetition of names in government sites, which makes the upcoming stage a real test of the government’s ability to meet citizen needs and turn pledges into tangible results.

An Optimistic Discourse and Economic Priority During the interview, Prime Minister Dr. Jafar Hassan outlined the features of the upcoming political and economic phase, describing the current year as a decisive year in the government’s course of action, and stressing that the government works according to a clear and specific program away from theoretical solutions, with a full awareness of the magnitude of the challenges and responsibilities entrusted to it. The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is moving forward with implementing practical solutions and tangible achievements, with the nearing launch of the second executive program which includes dozens of initiatives, projects, and legislations within the visions of economic, political, and administrative modernization, affirming that the field work approach will remain constant until the last day of the government’s term, in light of the continued holding of cabinet sessions in various governorates. For his part, Professor of Political Science Dr. Hayel Al-Dajja explains that the Prime Minister’s speech came in clear and optimistic language, and its primary goal was to confirm the government’s work program, especially regarding projects and policies intended for implementation until 2026. Al-Dajja points out that the clear focus in the speech was economic, in an indirect admission that the economic crisis constitutes the greatest challenge currently facing the state, and that the government’s success will be measured by its ability to turn these projects into a tangible impact reflected on the lives of citizens. Economically, the interview included figures and pledges of great significance, most notably the announcement of developmental projects valued at approximately 11 billion dollars in the sectors of water, energy, transport, tourism, and construction, to be initiated during the current year and over the next few years. Among the most prominent of these projects is the National Water Carrier project, where the Prime Minister confirmed that the final financial closure will take place within 60 days, with implementation starting at the end of the first quarter of the current year and delivery by the end of 2030. He also touched upon energy projects, led by the expansion of natural gas production from the Risha field to cover more than 80% of the needs of various sectors. He spoke about the regional railway project, stressing the necessity for Jordan to be part of it, in addition to the New Amman City project, clarifying that it is not a substitute capital but rather a strategic urban project to accommodate the expected population increase in Amman and Zarqa. The Prime Minister emphasized during the interview that field work represents his style and school of management, noting his visit to more than 130 sites during the past year and the taking of practical decisions and measures in every site. Dr. Al-Dajja believes that this approach reflects the Prime Minister’s influence by the experience of King Abdullah II, who formed a model for the official close to the field, considering that this style contributed to enhancing public confidence and made the Prime Minister a role model for the ministers in his government. Despite the praise for the calmness and positive tone of the discourse, Al-Dajja points out that the interview did not answer several fundamental questions occupying the Jordanian street, primarily issues of income and living, high prices, electricity bills, and unemployment, alongside the issue of rotating positions and the repetition of the same names in government posts. He stresses that enhancing trust requires governments to touch upon popular demands and narrow the gap with citizens, warning that weak communication, the use of complex economic language, and the failure to simplify policies increase the widening of this gap.

Indebtedness and Job Opportunities Between Reality and Targets On the debt file, the Prime Minister confirmed the government’s commitment to reducing public debt to about 80% of the Gross Domestic Product within the next two years, along with paying more than 600 million dinars in arrears, with a pledge not to leave any financial obligations upon leaving the government. Economic and social analyst Hussam Ayesh explains that this goal has become realistic after amending the base year for the GDP to 2023, which effectively reduced the debt ratio to between 82% and 83%. He adds that achieving growth in the GDP at current prices that could reach 10% will contribute to reaching this goal before the end of 2025, provided that no new financial burdens are created. Regarding job opportunities, Ayesh stresses the importance of the opportunities resulting from major projects being real, sustainable opportunities with economic value, noting that the economic modernization vision targets creating one million job opportunities over ten years, which requires creating about 100,000 opportunities annually, while the current reality does not exceed 40 to 45 thousand opportunities, necessitating a doubling of efforts.

Social Protection and Regional Messages The Prime Minister described the decision to provide insurance for more than 4 million Jordanians at the King Hussein Cancer Center as the most important decision taken by the government, which Ayesh considered a pivotal step in strengthening social protection and easing health burdens on citizens. Regionally, the Prime Minister stresses the priority of stabilizing the ceasefire in Gaza and moving to the second phase, affirming that the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land is the core of resistance, and that Jordan’s external positions are governed by its national interest, security, and stability. He also stressed that the success of Syria is a success for Jordan, with an emphasis on border security and the water file as sovereign issues. Al-Dajja believes that these positions are consistent with Jordanian national constants and reflect a clear commitment to the Palestinian cause and support for the Palestinian people in light of the humanitarian catastrophe, in addition to a firm stance toward Syria based on supporting stability and rebuilding institutions. Experts agree that the Prime Minister’s speech carried a high degree of seriousness and optimism, but in return, it raised the ceiling of expectations and made the coming stage a real test of the government’s ability to execute and transform plans and figures into tangible results that the citizen feels in daily life.