Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Norwegian Ambassador to Jordan, Tone Allers, highlighted the strong bonds between Jordan and Norway as a result of the strong ties between the two royal families, exalted during the recent visit of the Norwegian Royal Couple to the Kingdom last March.

In remarks to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) to celebrate Norway's National Day, the Ambassador said her country remains committed to continuing to provide humanitarian and stabilization support to Jordan, pointing to the Kingdom’s generous role in supporting refugees and its crucial role in promoting regional stability, which highlights the importance of continued international support.

"Over the past few months, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the world economy and businesses across the globe. We do not yet know when the crisis will subside, but when it does, we believe that increased international business cooperation and innovation will be key in creating new jobs and ensuring the recovery of our economies," she noted, adding that Jordan has responded swiftly and effectively in the face of the pandemic, which hit at a time when Jordanians were making substantial efforts in promoting economic reforms and stimulating growth.

"Norway is a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2021-2022," the envoy said, "and if elected, we will work with other member states – regardless of their size or geographical location – to uphold the multilateral systems and a rules-based global order."

On the political side, Ambassador Allers stressed that the political dialogue and shared interests on issues of common concern prompted the establishment of the Norwegian embassy in Amman in 1994. Since then, resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a core issue in the dialogue with Jordan, while Norway remains a strong supporter of a negotiated two-state solution and a long-term contributor to UNRWA.

"Since the Oslo Accords, Norway has been chairing the international donor group for Palestine (Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, AHLC) with the aim to an institutional and economic foundation for a future Palestinian state," she added, pointing to a declaration by His Majesty King Harald during his speech at the seminar ‘Preserving Spaces for Dialogue’ on the occasion of the state visit to Jordan, "There can be no lasting peace unless each party respects the other – its legitimate aspirations, its history, its culture and its rights. Norway seeks to be a reliable partner in the joint efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement".

On her country's national day, Allers said: "For Norwegians, the 17th of May represents a celebration of our constitution, our freedom and the values upon which our country is founded. It is also a day of reflection on Norway’s international role and our commitment to peace and prosperity. We might be a small country in size, but we do have a long history of speaking with an independent voice and decades of experience from peace and reconciliation efforts in many conflicts."

She indicated that Norway aims to contribute to international peace and security by seeking cross-regional partnerships and promoting solutions based on genuine dialogue, willingness to listen and pragmatic diplomacy. "The state visit from Norway to Jordan highlighted how much two small countries can gain from working together. We sincerely value our strong partnership with Jordan in working for a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world," she concluded.