UK Minister for the Middle East marks Jordan Centenary in Amman
The Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, has reaffirmed the importance of the historic relationship between the UK and Jordan on his first official visit to the country.
The Minister met with the Minsters of Trade, Finance and Planning to discuss Jordan’s efforts to deliver ambitious economic reforms, which the 2019 London Initiative has helped to implement. The Minister’s visit to Jordan during this special centenary year underlined the strength and depth of the bilateral relationship.
By bringing together Jordanians from across government, international financial institutions and private sector representatives, the Kingdom has made significant progress towards sustainable growth. A key pillar of the London Initiative is to support the private sector and its relationship with the Government of Jordan.
Minister Cleverly also met Jordanian business owners and entrepreneurs to discuss how the Government of Jordan has worked alongside them to improve private-public sector partnerships and boost jobs and economic prosperity.
Ahead of the COP26 Summit in the UK later this year, Jordan has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 14% by 2030. In Amman, the Minister met some of Jordan’s renewable energy sector investors and business. The group discussed how Jordan can make transition to renewable energy use, including by unlocking its solar potential. The Minister also pressed companies to participate in the ‘Race to Zero’ initiative. In order for the world to reach net zero by 2050, governments need to implement long-term strategies to allow transitioning to renewable energy.
Minister Cleverly met Yousef Bataineh, Secretary-General of the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, to discuss the importance of UK-Jordan ties. They also addressed a wide range of regional issues, such as the Syria conflict. The Minister thanked Jordan for its generosity in hosting more than 600,000 Syrians who have fled the conflict. The Minister visited a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) community centre in Amman to see how UK aid is helping Jordan to care for its refugee population. He also saw first-hand how UK support to the Jordanian National Aid Fund is helping vulnerable Jordanians whose lives have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The support goes to those who have lost jobs and livelihoods in the informal sector, and households where women are the sole income-generators.
Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, said:
On my first visit to the Hashemite Kingdom, I discovered how the UK-Jordan partnership is growing in strength during this landmark centenary year. We celebrated long-standing cooperation on defence, regional security, and economic stability, as we build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UK is a committed partner, providing assistance to Jordan as it generously hosts refugees fleeing regional conflicts. I saw how the UK is helping to strengthen Jordan’s social protection system, ensuring those most affected by the pandemic can get back on their feet.
Media enquiries
Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk
Telephone 020 7008 3100
Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.