Ma'an, Aug 23 (Petra) -- As part of ongoing follow-up to the implementation and sustainability of Royal Initiatives, Chief of the Royal Court Yousef Issawi on Saturday inspected development and service projects in Ma'an Governorate that are implemented under royal directives.

Issawi, head of the Follow-Up Committee for the Implementation of His Majesty's Initiatives, made the tour to see first-hand progress of the projects, some under construction, and ensure their operation and sustainability. These aim to promote local development, create job opportunities, preserve national heritage, and develop the tourism and cultural product in targeted areas.

He started the tour at El Zay ready-made garments factory in Shobak District, which was inaugurated by His Majesty King Abdullah II in 2008 as the first production facility under the Productive Branches Initiative.

Issawi, accompanied by Labor Minister Khaled Al-Bakkar, Ma'an Governor Khaled Hajjaj and other local officials, toured the factory, which saw an expansion in 2022 and currently employs 192 local male and female workers, and was briefed on the production stages and two production lines with about 122 machines.

Female workers of the factory hailed the Royal Initiative to establish the factory as "a qualitative" change in their lives, opening the door to decent work and providing them with the opportunity to train, qualify, and acquire skills to support their families and build a better future.

In Petra District, Issawi inspected progress of work at the construction site of a headquarters for the Arab Commission for Culture and Civilisation (Bait Al Anbat), which was launched following a meeting His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had with local figures and representatives of the district in early 2023.

The building will be built on an area of ​​378 square meters and includes administrative offices and a hall for the Beit Shaqila workshop for traditional costumes and handicrafts, in addition to service facilities and external works.

During the tour, the Royal Court Chief was briefed by the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Investment at the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTR) Board of Commissioners, Mohammad Habahbeh, on the project, where completion was at 50 percent.

He also stopped at the Founder King's Palace in Ma'an, where a rehabilitation and restoration project is underway, implemented under a royal directive and inaugurated by His Majesty King Abdullah II, in the presence of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, on March 1, 2024.

The palace, a milestone in the founding of the Jordanian state, dates back to 1920, when the late King Abdullah I, founder of Jordan, used it as his headquarters.

It was one of the buildings of the Ma'an Hejaz Railway Station, built in 1904. Then, the palace was known as the National Defense Headquarters and saw the establishment of the first administratively independent national government (the Government of the Arab East). From this building, Prince Abdullah began work and took political decisions, before departing for Amman on February 28, 1921, to start the journey of establishing the modern Jordanian state.

The landmark contains historical artifacts and documents reflecting that era, including items related to the Great Arab Revolt, personal belongings of the founding King, and items related to the Hejaz Railway. It also includes a new reception building for visitors.

Under the project, the palace and all 12 buildings of the Ma'an Railway Station were rehabilitated to become a national museum that depicts the story of the Founding King, the Great Arab Revolt, and the beginnings of the founding of the Jordanian state.

Issawi said projects of a cultural and historical nature, including the rehabilitation of the Founding King's Palace, are not only important for preserving national heritage, but also for contributing to the development of the tourism product, opening the way for new economic opportunities that benefit the local community.

//Petra//SS


23/08/2025 17:30:16