Amman, May 20 (Petra) — Senators on Wednesday discussed the main
provisions of the draft Local Administration Law during a meeting
chaired by Senate President Faisal Fayez and attended by Minister of
Local Administration Walid Masri.

Fayez said the meeting aimed to exchange views on the draft law to
help formulate modern legislation that would advance the local
administration system and enhance the performance of local councils
across the Kingdom.

He said developing the Local Administration Law represents a national
priority aimed at achieving a balance between democratic
representation and administrative efficiency, while improving the
quality of services provided to citizens.

Fayez added that the law constitutes a key pillar in the
comprehensive development process by enabling local councils to
identify development priorities, manage resources, and provide
essential services in line with the needs of local communities.

He noted that the draft law would contribute to improving public
services and enhancing the investment environment through legal
frameworks that allow municipalities and local councils to establish
partnerships with the private sector, positively reflecting on job
creation and efforts to reduce poverty and unemployment.

Fayez stressed the importance of clearly defining the powers of local
councils, preventing overlap between executive authorities,
municipalities, and governorate councils, and strengthening the
financial and administrative independence of local units to enable
them to perform their developmental role based on strategic planning
and local priorities.

For his part, Masri said the draft law is in line with the
recommendations of the Royal Committee for Modernizing the Political
System and complements the administrative reform process launched
with the issuance of the Local Administration Law in 2021.

He added that the law aims to strengthen governance and clarify
powers between municipal councils and executive authorities,
contributing to greater efficiency in municipal work and improved
services for citizens.

Masri said the draft law supports decentralization by enabling
executive administrations in governorates to provide services
directly without referring to the central government through the
delegation of powers to executive directors.

He added that the law also addresses challenges that have hindered
the work of governorate councils in recent years, noting that several
service and development projects funded by governorate councils and
left unused for long periods have since been rehabilitated and put
into operation.

Masri said direct elections for governorate councils would continue
during a transitional phase alongside a reorganization of council
membership, in preparation for a future transition toward development
regions in line with the state’s vision for advancing local
administration and regional development.

//Petra// AJ