Ammon News - Dutch Ambassador Dolf Hogewoning said Monday that his country and Jordan will continue to support the Middle East Peace Process and regional stability, commending Jordan as a key partner in this quest and for its humanitarian role in hosting refugees.

He said that Jordan has been a long-standing friend and ally to the Netherlands, adding "we celebrate the decades-long relationship between the two Kingdoms, which is characterized by successful coordination on a number of levels and areas from trade to security, to social protection and much more."

He said Jordan was designated by the Netherlands as a priority country in 2019, with the Netherlands pledging to invest more than 200 million euros to Jordan to support hosting of refugees and host communities alike.

The Netherlands and Jordan, he added, enjoyed expanded cooperation in a number of fields, including agriculture, food security, water management, creating skills and jobs for young people, education for the vulnerable, trade and investment, entrepreneurship, and human rights.

"In 2021 alone, we have launched programs to support Jordan’s water infrastructure and provide technical assistance to Jordanian companies looking to enter European markets. During the covid-19 pandemic, we have continued to support blended learning for refugees and vulnerable communities," Hogewoning added.

He said that the Netherlands is committed to contribute to an economically resilient Jordan, which has witnessed a number of setbacks due to regional conflicts and the covid-19 pandemic. The Netherlands, he added, focuses on improving sustainable bilateral trade between Dutch and Jordanian companies, especially in the pharmaceutical, agricultural , water, and textile sectors. In addition, the Netherlands focuses on facilitating access for Jordanian businesses to the European market.

He said the Embassy this month marks both the Netherlands’ King’s Day and the centennial celebration of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and is also a time to reflect on the special royal relations between both monarchies, which has been marked by strong cooperation on different levels and in a number of areas.

Due to the covid-19 situation, he said, the embassy has called off the annual King’s Day celebration for the second year in a row.

(Petra)