Amman: Al Mamlaka TV began broadcasting the first episodes of the Al-Ahed documentary on Saturday to document the rule of His Majesty King Abdullah II since he assumed power in 1999.

The documentary saw the participation of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, former Iraqi prime ministers Iyad Allawi and Mustafa Kadhimi, head of the Iraqi Wisdom Movement Ammar Hakim, former Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Amr Moussa, and former prime ministers during the reign of His Majesty Abdul Raouf Rawabdeh, Ali Abu Ragheb, Faisal Fayez, Samir Rifai and Hani Mulqi.

In the words of local, Arab and international officials, the documentary highlights the pivotal role of His Majesty the King locally and abroad for a quarter of a century. It sheds light on the tireless work through which His Majesty maintained Jordan’s prominent position regionally and internationally.

The programme documents testimonies about milestones in the rule of King Abdullah since the announcement of the death of His Majesty King Hus
sein bin Talal.

Al Mamlaka interviewed the following: the Director of His Majesty the King’s Office Jaafar Hassan, the former Minister of the Interior, and the Commander of the Special Security Group in 1999 Hussein Majali, former Minister of State for Information Affairs Amjad Adayleh, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Marwan Muasher, former Minister of Finance Umayyah Touqan, former Minister of Planning Suhair Ali and former Minister of Education Khaled Touqan.

Al Mamlaka also interviewed former Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) Governor Ziad Fraiz, the Jordanian Ambassador to the US in 2002, Karim Kawar, the Commander of the Private Security Group of His Majesty King Abdullah II in 2008, Amin Qatarneh, a member of the Friends of Jordan in the US Congress, Charles Boustani, and the former US Assistant Secretary of State David Schenke.

The editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper Ghassan Charbel, deputy commander of US forces in 2003 Mark Kimmitt and executive director of the Washington Institute Robert S
atloff spoke to Al Mamlaka.

Local officials explained King Abdullah II’s vision for building the state and how to transfer power smoothly and in an institutional manner that respects and preserves the Constitution. Arab and international politicians presented their testimonies about the King’s leadership role in foreign affairs.

In the first episode, prime ministers, ministers, heads of the Senate, representatives, security leaders and financial and economic officials said the first goal of the King upon assuming his constitutional powers was to deal with the economic situation, counter regional challenges and build the economy.

They explained that the death of King Hussein cast a shadow over King Abdullah II with great sadness, but at that moment he was aware that he had become the first official in the leadership of Jordan.

He chose to work immediately after taking the oath in the National Assembly, adding that King Abdullah sought to include everyone as partners in building the state and modernisation,
development and planning efforts.

Officials added that the King did not sit in the offices to monitor the administration of the state, recalling an incident when he disguised himself as an elderly man to review a department concerned with serving Jordanians.

They explain that after Jordanians learned of the story, officials and people realised that the work would be under the King’s supervision and accountability would be carried out in this manner.

They discussed that the King’s economic vision focused on building a productive state that works to replace foreign aid as much as possible with foreign investments.

Statesmen said during the King’s first visit to the US, he requested to join the Free Trade Agreement and enter the World Trade Organisation to move from the traditional rentier economic system to openness to the global system.

They note that Jordan became one of the first countries to join the World Trade Organisation.

Interviewed officials said the King preserved the great legacy of Jordan’s s
tature left by His Majesty King Hussein, opened new channels and built on previous ones, whether in the Arab, regional or international environment.

Officials in planning and public administration said at the beginning of his reign, the King invested in IT, attracting the sector into Jordan, focusing on economic resilience and tended to think about transforming Aqaba into an economic zone to encourage people to live and invest in the coastal city to become a new crossing point for the countries of the Arab Levant and not just to meet Jordan’s needs.

The development of human resources was at the top of the royal thinking – officials added to Al-Mamlaka – as this development would be the basis for political, economic and social development.

The King began developing plans for the education sector, following the smallest details in developing this sector and searching for computerisation of education and connecting schools to the Internet. This was reflected in the students and their local, Arab and internati
onal levels.

The first episode, which lasted for more than 45 minutes, documents the King’s way of thinking at the beginning of his reign, the mechanisms of Jordan’s administration and the King’s ongoing work to strengthen the foundations of the state and set out to implement applicable plans away from theorising, bureaucracy and deadly routine.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas talked to Al Mamlaka on the reign of the King, saying the King has provided advice and discussed with him before every visit to international resolution countries. He spoke about the Palestinian issue and indicated his firm and permanent position in support of the Palestinian right.

During his testimony, former Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amr Moussa, touched on His Majesty’s efforts to establish the Palestinian state, the right to realistic self-determination and provide security for the Palestinians.

Jordanian foreign ministers narrated their testimonies to the vision and approach of the King on the Palestin
ian issue, noting that the King’s position was clear from the beginning that the Palestinian issue is not an issue that concerns the Palestinians alone but Jordanians as well.

The documentary presents the testimony of former US Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker about the King’s efforts to achieve peace that guarantees justice and fulfils the aspirations of the Palestinians.

This is also confirmed by the Executive Director of the Washington Institute, Robert Satloff about His Majesty the King’s tireless pursuit of reaching a diplomatic solution to the Palestinian issue.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi gave his testimony to the wisdom of the King when the drums of war were beating against Iraq, as King Abdullah made every effort to prevent it from happening, noting, “His Majesty the King warned of the consequences of war on Iraq and invested in his relations with influential countries to spare Iraq the war.”

In the first episode, the documentary proves that the reign of the King, with the
testimony of local, Arab and international officials, was based on constants whose primary goal was to protect Jordan, develop it, advance it, overcome crises and stand by the Arab right in Palestine and not change it, no matter how great and often harsh the costs may be.

?Al Mamlaka will soon air the second episode of the Al-Ahed.

Source: Jordan News Agency