Amman, Sept 23 (Petra) – Senate President Faisal Fayez said on Wednesday that His Majesty King Abdullah II is keen on maintaining channels with the European Parliament and bolstering the partnership with the European Union (EU) across all levels and sectors.
Relations with European parliamentary institutions are founded on mutual respect and the pursuit of shared interests and goals, and the Senate is an active partner with these institutions, he said at a meeting of the Senate’s Committee on Arab, International, and Expatriate Affairs with a European Parliament team, which he chaired.
"To consolidate these relations, a Jordanian-European Parliament friendship committee has been formed within the Senate with the aim of advancing bilateral ties across political, economic, and parliamentary fields, and to ensure ongoing coordination on various issues of mutual interest," he noted.
During the meeting with the European Parliament delegation, led by French politician and Member of the European Parliament François-Xavier Bellamy and attended by EU Ambassador to Jordan, Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, Fayez thanked the EU for financial and economic aid to Jordan.
He said such support strengthens the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides and bolsters economic development, human capital growth, and the Kingdom's reform efforts.
Fayez said that an agreement was reached to hold the Jordan-EU Investment Conference in November at the Dead Sea.
Held under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II and with the participation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the conference reflects a commitment by both sides to further enhancing economic cooperation, supporting sustainable growth in Jordan, and expanding trade and investment partnerships between the Kingdom and the EU.
The conference will be a platform bringing together investors, companies, and financial institutions from Jordan and EU nations to showcase promising investment opportunities in the Kingdom and explore prospects for partnership and cooperation across such priority sectors as renewable energy, clean technologies, the digital economy, industry, logistics, and infrastructure, he pointed out.
During the conference, Jordan will present an investment portfolio of nearly $15 billion, spanning 15 sectors and sub-sectors, he said.
The lion's share of this portfolio is concentrated in the energy and mining sectors, alongside water, transport, tourism, the digital economy, and clean technologies, he added.
On the current situation in the region, the Senate President said force is not the sole means to resolve conflicts, but diplomatic tools must be activated and channels of communication opened.
Addressing the actions of the far-right Israeli government in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, he stressed the need for the European Union to fully realize that "condemnation alone is no longer enough, and will not make a difference." "I think the ongoing conflicts in the region, foremost is the behavior of Iran and Israel, threaten regional security and pose a direct risk to the global economy," he said.
Fayez noted His Majesty King Abdullah II’s address He noted His Majesty King Abdullah II’s address at the United Nations, where he urged serious and tangible action to end conflicts, as well as practical measures, including economic sanctions on Israel.
"These should not be limited to (Jewish) settlers alone but must extend to figures, such as (Israeli ministers) Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, the most hardline members of the Israeli government," he said.
He said the two-state solution is the the only viable path forward, adding that the Palestinian cause is no longer just a Palestinian or regional matter, but an issue with global ramifications.
//Petra//SS
