King orders continued implementation of initiatives targeting the vulnerable

AMMAN — As Jordan marked the birthday of His Majesty King Abdullah, the Monarch on Saturday directed concerned officials at the Royal Court to continue implementing a number of Royal initiatives targeting underprivileged families, charity societies, orphanages, elderly people and the disabled.

A Royal Court statement said that 30,000 underprivileged families across the Kingdom would benefit from the Royal directives, to be selected according to specialised surveys carried out by the Ministry of Social Development.

The Royal initiatives aim at easing the suffering of the targeted segments and meeting their basic needs. They will replace the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation's food parcels distributed over the past years to underprivileged families in their areas across the Kingdom, the statement said.

As per the Royal directives, societies taking care of elderly people and those with disabilities as well as orphanages will continue receiving financial support according to well-defined standards that ensure justice and fairness, the statement said.

His Majesty also directed concerned Royal Court officials to continue supporting 1,500 orphans from Gaza through the Gaza-based Wiam Charity Society, according to the statement.

The King’s makruma to the Gazan orphans came on the basis of a report by the Jordan field hospital in the strip, stressing the difficult situation of this segment after the passing away of their parents, the statement said.  

On Saturday, the Kingdom celebrated His Majesty’s 54th birthday.

Born in Amman on January 30, 1962, King Abdullah is the eldest son of His Majesty the late King Hussein and HRH Princess Muna.

A Royal Decree was issued on January 24, 1999 naming him Crown Prince. He assumed his constitutional powers as King on February 7, 1999 upon the passing away of His Majesty the late King Hussein.
The King began his primary education at the Islamic Educational College in Amman, and later attended St Edmund’s School in Surrey, England.

For his secondary education, he attended Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy in the US.

King Abdullah joined the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in the United Kingdom in 1980 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1981.

He joined the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army in 1982 as a first lieutenant, moving up the ranks in the military. He also served with the Royal Jordanian Air Force Anti-Tank Wing, where he received his wings as well as his qualification as a Cobra attack pilot.

In 1987, the King joined the foreign service faculty of Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and completed an advanced research and study programme in international affairs along with a master’s programme in foreign service.

The King rejoined the military in 1989 and continued to be promoted, becoming commander of the Royal Jordanian Special Forces and Special Operations in 1994 with the rank of brigadier general.

In 1996, the King reorganised the Special Forces to comprise selected units, and was promoted to the rank of major general in 1998.

King Abdullah married Her Majesty Queen Rania on June 10, 1993 and they have four children: Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem.