His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday asserted Jordan’s commitment to strengthening its cooperation with EU countries, within the framework of Jordan’s “advanced status” partnership.

At a meeting with EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn at Al Husseiniya Palace, King Abdullah thanked the EU for supporting the Kingdom’s development and reform programmes.

His Majesty underscored the key role of the EU in supporting efforts to arrive at solutions for regional challenges, with the crisis in Syria, the war on terrorism and efforts to revive Middle East peace negotiations first and foremost.

The King highlighted the burdens borne by the Kingdom as a result of hosting around 1.3 million Syrian refugees and the increasing pressures placed on the country’s resources, as a result.

In this regard, His Majesty stressed the importance of the donor conference that will be held in London next week in assisting the government in dealing with the repercussions of the Syrian crisis, and in supporting development projects that may enable the country to deal with mounting pressures.

The King noted that Jordan has provided Syrian refugees with services beyond its own capabilities, stressing that it is high time that the international community, the EU, regional and international organisations and different countries provide the needed support for the Kingdom.

Hahn lauded EU − Jordanian relations, pointing out that opportunities and circumstances are currently available for supporting the country, whose stability is part of regional stability, through the London donor conference.

He noted that the conference will foster the economic ties between the EU and Jordan, which he said should be supported in confronting the various challenges, as it represents a model country in the region.