His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday discussed with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ways to boost bilateral cooperation and the latest regional and international developments.

In statements to the press ahead of the meeting at the German Chancellery in Berlin, King Abdullah reiterated Jordan’s keenness to boost relations with Germany in all fields and to continue coordination between the two countries on regional issues.

The King thanked Germany for its historic and recent support to Jordan, particularly in helping the Kingdom cope with the burden of hosting refugees, who made up 20 per cent of Jordan’s population.

“Germany came [to the London conference] with a very strong support package to a country that is in desperate need of support for not only our young people but also for the refugees,” His Majesty said.

The King also commended Merkel personally for “being able to raise the moral bar very high on the challenges of refugees”.

His Majesty added: “If it hadn’t been for the role of Germany and yourself, I think that our region, I think Africa and the world would be in a lot worse position”.

The King expressed his willingness to work alongside the German chancellor in the future. “Whatever we can do in Jordan in a small way to thank you and thank Germany’s support, we will always be by your side.”

Welcoming the King, Merkel said the two would discuss in detail the outcomes of the London conference in February, which she said included increased enrolment in schools and employment among Syrian refugees.

“However, this is only a first step. Therefore, we will be considering which further steps we can take,” the chancellor said.

Acknowledging the difficult situation Jordan is facing, bordering Syria and Iraq, Merkel praised the King’s energy in seeking to improve the Kingdom’s position.

“We know with how much energy the King is fighting to ameliorate the economic situation so that the young people have hope, and we want to contribute to that,” she said.