King holds summit meeting with Saudi monarch

Amman
27 March 2017

His Majesty King Abdullah and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz held a summit in Amman on Monday evening, focusing on strengthening Jordanian-Saudi relations and the latest developments in the Middle East.

The two leaders discussed means to expand Jordanian-Saudi cooperation in various fields and vital sectors in a manner that serves both countries' interests. They commended bilateral ties, which, they said, have developed in various domains.

King Abdullah and King Salman commended the outcome of the joint Saudi-Jordanian Coordination Council's meetings and the council's role in enhancing cooperation and institutionalising the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The two sides agreed on the importance of maintaining consultation and coordination on regional and international issues, with the aim of enhancing global security and stability, and serving Arab causes.

Moreover, His Majesty and King Salman discussed the Arab Summit, which comes at a time of exceptional challenges. They stressed the need to coordinate positions on the issues that the Summit will focus on to ultimately boost joint Arab action and promote pan-Arab cooperation at the highest levels.

In this regard, the two leaders stressed the importance of unifying Arab ranks, strengthening ties and enhancing cooperation among Arab and Muslim countries.

The meeting also touched on a host of regional issues, at the top of which is the Palestinian issue. The King stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to kick-start the peace process, leading to the re-launch of serious and effective negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and international terms of reference to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The two leaders underlined the importance of maintaining the historical status quo in Jerusalem and warned that tampering with the current status of the holy city will have implications on the security and stability of the entire region.

His Majesty and the Saudi king stressed their support for efforts to achieve stability in the region, emphasising the need to continue the war on terror through the international coalition against Daesh, the Islamic military alliance against terrorism and the Arab coalition for the restoration of legitimacy in Yemen.

The two leaders also reiterated their countries' rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism that threaten global peace and security.

The talks addressed crises in the Middle East and the need to reach political solutions to conflicts to enable the region's peoples to live in peace and security.

Senior Jordanian and Saudi officials attended the talks.

Following the summit meeting, public and private sector leaders from Jordan and Saudi Arabia signed 15 major investment and economic agreements.

The two leaders witnessed the signing of the memorandum of association of the Saudi-Jordanian Investment Fund Company LTD, which will launch various investments in Jordan in key sectors at an estimated value of $3 billion.

The memorandum was signed on behalf of the Jordan by Musa Shehadeh, chairman of the Jordanian Banks Association, and Supervisor General of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia Yasser bin Othman Al-Rumayyan. 

Another $105-million loan agreement between the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation and the Saudi Fund for Development was signed for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Desert Highway (Amman-Aqaba).

Private sector representatives from both countries inked a memorandum for a $320-million medical city project in Riyadh. A $54-million agreement was also signed to establish a Jordanian-Saudi medical service development company.

Both countries' electric power companies signed a memorandum for a $70-million solar power station project to be established on Jordan's eastern border.

Other agreements and memoranda covered social affairs, environment, culture, media, housing, uranium mining and water desalination.

The King hosted a dinner banquet in honour of the Saudi monarch and the accompanying delegation.