Amman, May 24 (Petra) – The Cabinet approved Sunday the draft Local Administration Law and referred it to the House of Representatives to proceed with its enactment in accordance with constitutional procedures.

The draft law aligns with the outcomes of the Royal Committee for Modernising the Political System, the objectives of the Economic Modernisation Vision and the Public Sector Modernisation Roadmap.

It fulfills directives issued by His Majesty King Abdullah II in the Letter of Designation to review and enhance the legislative framework governing local administration, as well as the government's commitments outlined in its ministerial statement.

The legislation was developed following extensive consultations conducted by the government with parliamentary blocs, members of both houses of Parliament, former ministers of municipalities, experts, specialists and representatives of relevant sectors.

The government reviewed proposals, opinion polls and studies related to the draft law. Dialogue on the legislation will continue through ongoing engagement with the House of Representatives.

The draft law seeks to strengthen governance in the local administration sector, link local administration to development priorities, expand community participation, enhance accountability and oversight and improve service delivery to Jordanians.

It aims to transition municipalities from a traditional service-oriented role toward a broader developmental and investment role through strategic and urban planning that reflects people's priorities and stimulates local economies across the governorates.

The law clarifies responsibilities between municipal councils and executive administrations.

Municipal councils will be responsible for setting policies and strategies, making decisions and monitoring implementation, while executive and administrative bodies will oversee the preparation and execution of plans.

The separation is intended to strengthen accountability and eliminate overlapping responsibilities.

The draft maintains the democratic approach established by the Political Modernisation Document by preserving the direct and secret election of mayors and council members through separate ballots, while introducing measures to enhance the integrity of the electoral process.

It strengthens the role of executive administrations in planning and implementation by empowering them to prepare strategic, executive, urban, developmental and service plans and submit them to municipal councils for oversight and accountability.

The law preserves the mandatory appointment of a municipal executive director to lead the administrative and executive apparatus, with the aim of improving efficiency, expanding automation and digital transformation and enhancing public services.

Regulations to be issued later will define the terms of appointment, powers, duties and termination procedures.

The draft expands the mayor's authority in monitoring service quality and stalled projects and in coordinating with official agencies, service providers and local communities, without infringing on the powers of either the council or the executive branch.

The legislation restructures governorate councils to include elected representatives from unions, women's and farmers’ federations, chambers of commerce and industry and other elected bodies at the governorate level.

The councils will serve as platforms for development and investment planning based on needs assessments, international service standards, national plans and project monitoring.

The law stipulates that the deputy head of the governorate council must be a woman.

To strengthen transparency, the draft requires executive administrations to submit monthly and quarterly reports to municipal councils detailing financial and administrative performance, project progress and implementation challenges.

Municipal performance reports for both councils and executive administrations must be published periodically on official municipal websites and platforms to enhance public trust.

Following parliamentary approval of the final version of the law, the government plans to amend more than 20 related regulations.

Amendments to Universities Law

The Cabinet approved a draft amendment to the Jordanian Universities Law of 2026 and referred it to the House of Representatives for constitutional approval procedures.

The amendments aim to align university legislation with recent institutional and legislative changes in Jordan's education sector, including the establishment of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development as the legal successor to the former Ministries of Education and Higher Education and Scientific Research.

One of the key amendments reduces the number of members on the boards of trustees of public and private universities from 13 to nine, with the objective of improving governance efficiency and accelerating decision-making processes.

The amendments revise the mechanism for appointing presidents of public universities.

University boards of trustees will nominate candidates to the Higher Education Council, which will then submit recommendations to the Prime Minister.

The draft law expands its scope to cover university colleges and community colleges, recognising their role in technical and vocational education and in supplying the labour market with applied specialisations.

The government said the amendments are consistent with national efforts to modernise the public sector, improve the quality of higher education, strengthen links between education and labour market needs and align Jordanian legislation with international best practices.

The mechanism for appointing presidents of private universities remains unchanged, with boards of trustees nominating candidates and the Education Council approving appointments.

Strategic Education Plan 2026–2030

The Cabinet approved the Strategic Education Plan for 2026–2030, in line with the Economic Modernisation Vision, which identifies education as a key driver of economic growth under the human capital pillar.

The plan aims to develop national talent capable of meeting future skills requirements, supporting labour market demands, accelerating economic growth and improving quality of life.

It seeks to promote diversity and inclusiveness in education by ensuring equal and equitable access to quality education for all students regardless of their abilities or circumstances, while encouraging lifelong learning.

The strategy prioritizes digital transformation in education through establishing an integrated digital education system by 2030.

The system is intended to provide all students in basic education with access to high-quality learning experiences that prepare them for higher education and productive participation in the labour market.

The plan was developed following a comprehensive review of the education sector at all levels, from early childhood education through higher, vocational and technical education, following the completion of the 2018–2025 Strategic Education Plan.

Public Sector and Infrastructure Decisions

As part of public sector modernisation efforts, the Cabinet approved the 2026 Administrative Organisation Bylaw for the General Budget Department and referred it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau for further procedures.

The amendments aim to strengthen sectoral studies and budget directorates to improve budget preparation, financial planning, public spending efficiency and reliance on digital transformation and data analysis.

The Cabinet approved the Aqaba Development Corporation Board's decision to proceed with procedures and studies for the construction of a new petroleum products berth in Aqaba.

The project is intended to strengthen Jordan's energy security, improve port operations, increase private-sector participation and reduce congestion at the existing petroleum berth, which is currently the only such facility serving both the Jordan Petroleum Refinery and private storage operators.

The Aqaba Development Corporation will initially invest approximately JD28 million in constructing the berth and related infrastructure, while additional work worth more than JD16 million will be offered to the private sector under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) partnership model. Completion is expected within 18 months.

Amendments to Explosives Regulations

The Cabinet approved justifications for a draft amendment to the Explosives Regulation of 2026 aimed at regulating the storage and use of explosives in industries such as mining, quarrying, potash and phosphate production.

The amendments provide for the establishment of three central storage facilities in the north, central and southern regions of the Kingdom, subject to strict oversight and safety regulations governing transport and use.

Water Carrier Project

As part of ongoing implementation of the National Water Carrier Project, the Cabinet approved an agreement converting a JD22.7 million loan provided by the German Development Bank (KfW) into financing for infrastructure and construction works carried out by the Water Authority.

Under the agreement, the loan will be considered fully repaid after KfW agreed to classify the amount as part of project financing.

Senior Appointments

The Cabinet approved several senior appointments, including:

Muhannad Safadi as Director General of the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation.
Omar Jamal Fanek as Secretary General of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC).
Muhammad Amoush as Secretary General of the Ministry of Local Administration for Technical Affairs.
Ghaleb Hijazi as Executive Director of the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation.

Additionally, Ibrahim Bawarid was transferred to the Ministry of Government Communications, while Marwan Rifai was transferred to the Ministry of Finance.

//Petra// AK

24/05/2026 19:38:54