British Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, Monday reaffirmed the importance of the historic relationship between his country and Jordan on his first official visit to the country.
Cleverly met Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Yousef Bataineh to discuss regional issues, including the UK’s position on illegal Israeli settlements and a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the British embassy said in a press release.
With the Syria conflict now in its 10th year, the Minister thanked Jordan for its generosity in hosting more than 600,000 Syrians who have fled the conflict, it said.
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, the statement 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,” said the minister.
“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,” he said.
Ahead of the COP26 Summit in the UK later this year, the Minister met some of Jordan’s renewable energy sector investors and representatives of companies with a high energy use. The group discussed how Jordan can transition to renewable energy as its primary source of electricity, with the Minister pressing companies to participate in the ‘Race to Zero’ initiative, the statement said.
Source: Jordan News Agency