AMMAN — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates issued a joint press statement at the 14th Jordan-EU Association Council meeting which concluded on Thursday.
اضافة اعلان
The statement confirmed the strong and lasting partnership between the two parties, including the decade-long co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean.
It said that the association council adopted new Partnership Priorities to guide the relationship until 2027, in line with the new EU Agenda for the Mediterranean and its Economic and Investment Plan.
The statement added that the EU and Jordan will further deepen their dialogue and collaboration around three objectives:
Strengthening cooperation on regional stability and security
Promoting sustainable economic stability
Strengthening good governance and respect for human rights
Noted by he statement noted that the EU said that the Multi-Annual Indicative Program 2021-2027 is nearly finalized and expected to be adopted in Summer 2022. The first tranche of 364 million euros will be made available to support Jordan's reforms in three priority areas, in line with the Partnership Priorities: green transition and a resilient economy, human development, and good governance.
The EU will support key flagship projects of the Economic and Investment Plan, such as the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance (AAWDC), which will benefit from a first EU contribution of 50 million euros.
The EU also confirmed its readiness to support the upgrade of the King Hussein Bridge border crossing. . Moreover, the EU and Jordan have launched an investment platform to mobilize investment in Jordan, which will be crucial for the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan.
EU and Jordan discussed the third Macro-Financial-Assistance (MFA), as the EU welcomed the compliance with the conditions for the first and second disbursements under its third (MFA) and are working towards the third and final tranche.
It also welcomed Jordan's continued ambitious political modernization and economic reform agenda and stressed it will continue to support this agenda, aiming at further strengthening political participation and accountability as well as creating the conditions for increased investment and job creation.
The EU and Jordan reaffirmed their commitment to democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the universal declaration on human rights and the EU-Jordan Association Agreement, according to the statement.
The statement said that Jordan and the EU confirmed their commitment to deepen further dialogue on issues of mutual interest, including security, counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism, border management, job creation, innovation, green transition, employability, and mobility.
On Palestine, Jordan and the EU reiterated that the only path to a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the two-state solution that ends the occupation and leads to the establishment, of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian State, on the lines of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with the State of Israel in peace, in accordance with international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
According to the statement, they condemned the construction and expansion of settlements, confiscation of land, and forced evictions of Palestinians from their homes, as illegal measures under international law, that undermine the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for peace.
The statement warned of the danger inherent in the absence of a political horizon to end the conflict and emphasized the necessity of relaunching serious and meaningful negotiations to achieve the two-state solution and restore confidence in the Middle East peace process.
The EU and Jordan also reiterated the importance of upholding the historic status quo for the holy sites in Jerusalem, including with regards to the historic Hashemite Custodianship, the statement stressed.
The statement said that the two sides stressed the crucial role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) for security and stability in the region, in accordance with its UN mandate, and expressed their commitment to continue supporting the Agency.
On Syrian refugee crisis, the EU praised Jordan's extraordinary generosity in hosting Syrian refugees over a decade and the adverse impact of the Syria crisis on the country, reaffirming its commitment to continuing to provide assistance to Jordan and the Syrian refugees as recently also shown by the significant pledges mobilized by the Brussels VI conference on the future of Syria and the region, the statement noted.
The EU and Jordan stressed the necessity of ending the Syrian crisis through a political solution in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Syria, ensuring the enduring defeat of terrorism, alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people, and leading to conditions conducive to the voluntary, dignified, and safe return of refugees, according to the statement.
The EU showed its solidarity with Jordan via its initiative for a regional "Food and Resilience Facility" worth EUR 225 million to address short and medium-term needs in the Southern Neighborhood, with an allocation of 25 million euros for Jordan.
On Ukraine, the EU and Jordan called on the Russian Federation to immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, as both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders in accordance with the UN Charter, the statement said.
On Iraq, the EU and Jordan emphasized the importance of supporting the stability of Iraq as key to regional stability.
On terrorism, the two sides stressed their commitment to continue fighting terrorism in all its forms to ensure the enduring defeat of all terrorist groups, including through cooperation within the global coalition to fight Daesh terrorist group.
According to the statement, the meeting was co-chaired by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission Josep Borrell and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi.
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