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