On the birthday of His Majesty King Abdullah II, we do not celebrate just another year in the life of a leader, but we reminisce about the journey of a nation whose features were shaped by the rhythm of responsibility, and whose hopes were borne on the shoulders of a man who believed that leadership is not a privilege, but a daily duty that never stops.
His Majesty was born at a historical moment when the region was seething with transformations, and he grew up learning that Jordan could not afford the luxury of waiting nor the luxury of mistakes. Therefore, his leadership was not a response to the situation, but a profound reading of it; a reading that made stability a national project, and reform a cumulative path, not just passing slogans. At every stage, the question was the same: How do we protect and renew the state at the same time?
The Jordanians knew in His Majesty a leader close to the people, present in the field, who read the details before the headlines, and who believed that a state’s strength is measured by its ability to protect its citizens, uphold their dignity, and expand their opportunities. For him, reform was not a political luxury, but a moral necessity; thus, he proceeded to modernize the political, economic, and administrative systems, laying the foundations rather than opting for easy results, and prioritizing institutional building over quick solutions.
On the regional and world stage, Jordan’s voice under his leadership remained a voice of reason and equilibrium in an era of noise. He defended the Palestinian cause with clarity and steadiness, and guarded the Hashemite custodianship of the holy sites in Jerusalem as a historical trust that brooks no compromise. In foreign policy, he maintained a balanced network of relationships that made Jordan a reliable partner and a nation whose opinion is respected when choices become complicated.
Because security is a prerequisite for life, His Majesty led the modernization of the armed forces and security agencies with an eye on the future, combining military professionalism with a humanitarian dimension, and robust readiness with respect for the law. Domestically, he continually emphasized that Jordan's true strength lies in its youth and women, in productive education, and in an economy capable of creating value, not just managing scarcity.
On his birthday, we do not just offer our congratulations, but we renew our pledge: that this nation, as His Majesty envisioned, be a state of law and institutions, a state of opportunities and justice, a state that knows its way in a troubled world. We renew our faith in a leadership that does not tire of working, inspiring a people that does not tire of hoping.
Happy birthday to His Majesty King Abdullah II, and may Jordan be stronger with his wisdom, more steadfast with his presence, and richer in its future.
