Ammon News - PETRA - His Majesty King Abdullah II on Sunday welcomed British economic leaders and members of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce taking part in the Jordanian-British business forum being held currently in Jordan.

In remarks during the meeting, the King underlined the strong ties between Jordan and Britain in various fields, which, he said, had culminated in forging an effective partnership in many sectors, noting that such forums would enhance and build economic and commercial partnerships between the two countries.

During the meeting, King Abdullah reviewed developments in the Middle East, particularly the repercussions of the Syrian crisis and economic challenges that Jordan faces as a result of the conflict and the influx of refugees into the Kingdom.

His Majesty stressed the importance of building on the Jordanian-British strategic dialogue, which kicked off last year with a string of meetings between representatives of the private sector in both the countries and discussed economic ties and sectoral, commercial and investment programmes.

In that context, the king noted that Jordan, important due to its strategic location as a key link between three continents, had succeeded in maintaining a secure, stable and investment-friendly climate despite challenges that the region is passing through.

The Kingdom's unique geopolitical location, he noted, provides a gateway into different Arab markets and access to over one billion consumers in the world in view of the free trade agreements the country had signed with many world nations.

His Majesty urged participants at the forum to seize the opportunities and privileges provided by the Jordanian economy, noting that the country's private sector is considered as a partner in the national development and modernisation drive through its contributions to enhance the investment climate, rehabilitate manpower and new job opportunities.

The British economic figures included the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Roger Gifford, Baroness Morris of Bolton, the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy and Global Co-CEO and Managing Partner of DLA Piper, Nigel Knowles, as well as Secretary General of Arab-British Chamber of Commerce Afnan Al-Shuaibi.

The chamber's delegation comprised 45 members representing the biggest 30 companies and economic institutions.