The President of Singapore S.R. Nathan and his spouse, Mrs. Nathan, will begin a several-day official visit to Jordan on Saturday.

His Excellency President Nathan will hold talks with His Majesty King Abdullah concerning the development of bilateral relations, especially in the economic and trade sectors, and developments in the region and efforts to achieve peace.

The Singaporean president will also meet Prime Minister Maarouf Bakhit and visit several historical sites in the kingdom.

President Nathan will be accompanied by the minister of information and communication, minister of state for foreign affairs, several parliamentarians and other Singaporean officials.

Jordan and Singapore have strong ties, and King Abdullah has visited Singapore several times, which has contributed to the strengthening of ties and the signing of investment agreements as well as cooperation protocols in information technology, transport, tourism and culture.

Jordan and Singapore are similar in many respects. Both countries have a small population and limited natural resources and rely heavily on human capital for their economic achievements.

The trade balance favors Singapore. Jordanian exports amounted to $2 million, while imports from Singapore reached $12 million.