I had the tremendous privilege of being in London last week during His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit. He saw The Queen, Prince Charles, the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, Duke of York, Parliamentarians, Chatham House and the press. An impressive list by any measure. And a reflection of the importance of the partnership between the UK and Jordan.
One of the highlights for me was the speech the King gave at a gala dinner on Tuesday night to mark the 35th anniversary of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC). The speech was a model of its kind: well-structured with clear messages designed to engage with his audience.
One of the key messages was that the Arab Spring was A Good Thing and that there were three main reasons for confidence:
- Inclusiveness: the demand for change does not belong to any one group. Anyone can participate.
- Dignity: a core theme in the Arab world. People want to be respected and be governed under the rule of law.
- Global awareness: the world is watching and supports the demand for greater openness and democracy in the Arab world.
A further theme was the Power of Partnership. And this was one hour after he and David Cameron had agreed to launch a Structured Economic Dialogue between the UK and Jordan on trade, investment and tourism.
My impression? The speech was very strong, conveying powerful messages to a powerful audience. And the King delivered it with aplomb, emphasis and humour. It certainly made a great impact on the audience, just as the visit overall succeeded in doing in London.
The core messages on partnership and change are pivotal to the future of the Middle East. Change is inevitable. If you don’t embrace it, you will be left behind or overtaken. The process is more important than the personalities. In some countries this means a transition from autocracy to democracy. And arguably as important, from unemployment and poverty to meaningful and useful jobs.
But change isn’t easy. It takes time and can often be painful. It requires strong leadership, clear communications and the ability to manage expectations. Opposition to change is also part of the normal business of politics. And all countries need help with change: no-one can solve the political, economic, environmental or other problems by themselves. So working together, as demonstrated by this visit, is crucially important.
The Power of Partnership summarises not only the King’s vision in London, but also my mandate in Amman. Building on these foundations is my ambition. Bring it on!