His Majesty King Abdullah’s recent visit to Qatar can only be seen as exceptional and significant, due to its timing and the nature of the historical stage the relations between both countries are going, and will be going through.
اضافة اعلان
We also need to keep in mind that the two countries are embracing a new epoch with high hopes that the next chapter in their histories will be one of achievement and prosperity.
Jordan, boasting a success story in surviving COVID-19, and a relatively dark period in its ties with the US during the Donald Trump era, has been out with an active vision. His Majesty has been leading a unique diplomatic drive to involve willing regional partners in plans that would reflect positively on the livelihood and welfare of the people of the region.
Adopting a practical and realistic approach, Jordan and its partners are attaching adequate attention to the economy and joint ventures that are expected to yield fruit in the foreseeable future. The Baghdad tripartite summit with Egyptian and Iraqi leaders earlier this year is a point in case, as the ensuing deals covered many aspects of cooperation. Jordan has also reopened the border with Syria, mainly for commercial purposes, and took advantage of the reopening to extend a helping hand to Lebanon, which is going through its darkest days since the civil war.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s most difficult days with its Gulf neighbors are behind it and now, like Jordan, it is playing a key regional role. The Gulf state will be in the spotlight next year as it hosts the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
Doha’s role does not stop here. The country can be considered a main player when it comes to the Afghan issue, having a leading role after the deal that saw US troops leave the Asian country, with fingers crossed that the Afghan people will see better days after more than four decades of devastating war.
Amman and Doha also share a vision for political reform. Jordan has a comprehensive roadmap with the release of the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System’s outcomes, while Qatar has recently seen Shura Council elections.
Qatari media had very positive observations about the Royal visit and the King’s talks with His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, describing the ties between the two countries as “strategic”, adding that Amman and Doha “are on the same boat” as both seek to find solutions to outstanding issues in the Arab arena, including the Palestinian cause.
The two sides were on the same page as they urged stepping up efforts towards reaching a just and comprehensive peace in the region based on the two-state solution.
Following the visit, His Majesty tweeted that he is looking forward to building on the strong bilateral ties to “support stability in our region, and serve the causes of our nation.”
A major result of the visit was the memorandum of understanding signed between the Qatar Investment Authority and the Jordan Government Investments Management Company, which indicates Qatar’s interest in investment in Jordan. Within this context, the two leaders voiced a “keenness to bolster ties across the political, economic, investment, development, and cultural fields, while also increasing employment opportunities for Jordanians in Qatar.”
Jordan’s approach is obviously aimed at ensuring a win-win situation. Securing jobs for Jordanians in Qatar is part of the solution to the sever unemployment problem in the Kingdom (25 percent), while Qatar will benefit from Jordan’s highly qualified human resources in its future plans.
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