Amman, May 6 (Petra) – The draft Local Administration Law seeks to restore municipalities’ developmental role and reposition them as drivers of local economic growth by stimulating investment and expanding public-private partnerships, particularly in priority sectors such as waste management and public transport, Minister of Local Administration Walid Masri said.

He made the remarks during a meeting on Wednesday with Acting Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Khamis Atiyeh, members of the Standing Committee, heads of parliamentary blocs, and chairs of standing committees to review the 2026 draft law.

Masri highlighted the importance of optimizing the use of municipal assets, including land and infrastructure, to support productive projects aligned with the comparative advantages of each governorate, to revitalize economic activity and improve quality of life. He noted that municipalities provide around 70 percent of essential daily services, underscoring the law’s direct impact on citizens.

The minister said the draft law is the outcome of extensive consultations with parliamentary blocs and the Lower House’s Standing Committee to ensure a balanced fiscal framework that aligns revenues with expenditures and strengthens municipalities’ financial sustainability and service delivery capacity.

He added that the legislation builds on the outcomes of the Royal Committee for Modernizing the Political System and its recommendations on local governance reform, aiming to strengthen institutional governance, clearly delineate the roles of municipal councils and executive bodies, and enhance oversight mechanisms while investing in workforce capacity building.

Masri noted that the draft introduces a restructured model for governorate councils based on indirect representation of development, service, social, and professional sectors, while reinforcing coordination among municipalities, governorate councils, and executive councils to deliver integrated development projects.

He said the draft also prioritizes youth inclusion and strengthens the participation of persons with disabilities and older persons in local decision-making through the activation of neighborhood committees. It raises women’s representation in municipal councils to 30 percent and guarantees their participation in executive offices.

For his part, Atiyeh said the draft law constitutes a substantive reform instrument with direct implications for service quality, citizen engagement in local governance, and balanced development across governorates. He added that it provides an opportunity to advance decentralization, enhance local council performance, and address gaps identified in previous frameworks.

//Petra// AJ

06/05/2026 18:21:04