Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06AMMAN865
2006-02-06 15:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

NATIONAL AGENDA ROLLED OUT SOFTLY TO THE JORDANIAN

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KDEM KMPI ECON JO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000865 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KMPI ECON JO
SUBJECT: NATIONAL AGENDA ROLLED OUT SOFTLY TO THE JORDANIAN
PUBLIC

REF: A. AMMAN 520

B. 05 AMMAN 8823

Classified By: CDA Daniel Rubinstein for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

-------
SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000865

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KMPI ECON JO
SUBJECT: NATIONAL AGENDA ROLLED OUT SOFTLY TO THE JORDANIAN
PUBLIC

REF: A. AMMAN 520

B. 05 AMMAN 8823

Classified By: CDA Daniel Rubinstein for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Jordan's 10-year comprehensive reform plan, the
National Agenda, was rolled out to the public via a popular
television news show and the Internet in late January. Plans
to aggressively market the National Agenda and sell its
benefits to a partially-skeptical public are on hold while a
ministerial team studying the report defines its reform
priorities. End Summary.

--------------
TV PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL AGENDA
--------------


2. (U) Former Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Muasher appeared
on Jordan Television's popular "Sixty Minutes" news program
on January 27 to discuss the report of the Royal Commission
for the National Agenda (ref B). Muasher, who headed the
commission, described the eight subject areas covered by the
report and stressed how the commission "represented Jordan's
social spectrum." He further stated that the first phase of
implementation of the report would "create a political
foundation in the country, including an elections law and
improvements in women's rights, the media and civil society."
Muasher was careful to note that the report's
recommendations did not contain draft laws or endorse any
specific legislation. He also announced that the report's
main document of approximately 200 pages was now available on
the Internet (in Arabic) at http://nationalagenda.jo


3. (U) Minister of Public Sector Reform Salem Khazaaleh,
whose ministry now encompasses the Government Performance
Directorate (GPD) responsible for tracking implementation of
the National Agenda (ref A),also appeared on the same
program. He reminded viewers that PM Bakhit had formed a
ministerial committee to study the report, and stated that
"the government needs to define priorities in accordance with
the National Agenda recommendations in order to begin
implementing development programs."

--------------
MARKETING CAMPAIGN STILL ON HOLD
--------------


4. (C) Poloff asked Manar Dabbas, Executive Director of the
GPD, whether Muasher's interview marked the long-awaited
public launch of the National Agenda. NOTE: The main
National Agenda report has been bound and ready for
distribution since November (ref B). END NOTE. Dabbas
responded affirmatively, saying that in addition to being
posted on the Internet, his office was giving hard copies of
the report to "stakeholders" in the reform process, including
foreign donors, NGOs, and political groups. He also said
that in coordination with the GOJ, mass-circulation Arabic
daily Al Ghad had run a major story on February 1 on the
National Agenda's objectives for the next decade, with an
emphasis on its economic recommendations, along with both
positive and critical assessments from economists and former
government officials.


5. (C) When asked if the GOJ had other immediate plans to
promote the National Agenda, such as a statement by PM
Bakhit, Dabbas replied "no." He said that ideas such as a
series of town hall meetings and "roadshows" throughout the
country (ref B) were still on the table, but that no major
promotional activity would likely take place until the
ministerial committee studying the National Agenda had
completed its work.
Rubinstein