Ammon News - The German Ambassador in Amman, Bernhard Kampmann, stressed that Jordan is a "major" partner for Germany and a gateway to the region and that the "strategic" relationship between the two countries is "excellent" and extends for decades.
In an interview with Jordan News Agency on the occasion of his country's national day - "Day of German Unity" -, he said that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, is an important partner for understanding what is going on in the region and one of the few countries that has a peace treaty with Israel and play an important positive role in the region, which makes us (Germany) keen on continuing cooperation and consultation with it to ensure its stability and deal with developments in the region. There is cooperation, coordination, consultation and exchange of visits between the two countries at various levels.
He said that Germany, which is the second largest donor to Jordan, is aware of the magnitude of the challenges Jordan is facing, especially in light of the crises witnessed by neighboring countries, its reception of large numbers of refugees and the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, therefore we (Germany) have increased our support and commitments to Jordan.
He pointed out that since the beginning of the pandemic, Germany has modified existing programs and provided an additional €78.5 million in humanitarian and development funding to support Jordan in dealing with the impact of COVID-19. Germany has also contributed (to the delivery of) 437,000 doses of vaccine to Jordan in 2021 under the global vaccination platform "Covax".
On development aid, the Ambassador said the German development and financial cooperation aims to support Jordan in facing the current challenges resulting from the refugee crisis and climate change, with joint projects focusing on the areas of water, employment, technical and vocational training and education, including support for refugees and vulnerable Jordanians in camps and host communities, noting that in 2020, new German commitments to joint projects in these areas amounted to nearly 400 million euros.
He added that there are currently intergovernmental negotiations on development cooperation scheduled to be held between the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation from October 25 to 27 in Berlin, where the allocation of new commitments for 2021 will be discussed.
He said that in the context of the Syria crisis, Germany has contributed more than 905 million euros to the humanitarian response in Jordan since 2012 to support areas such as food assistance, protection, health care and psychosocial support. Germany has so far allocated 118 million euros in humanitarian aid to the people in Jordan [LL1] in 2021.
On trade cooperation, he indicated that the presence of German companies in Jordan could be expanded. German companies are usually present through local or regional public agents, with the exception of Vileda, which supplies the Middle East and North Africa region from its production site in Jordan.
He pointed out that German exports to Jordan in 2020 amounted to 633.36 million euros, and imports from Jordan amounted to 35.3 million euros, noting that Germany is Jordan's most important trading partner in the European Union.
"We believe that Jordan can be a hub for production and export to the countries of the region because of its location and the stability it enjoys, and we cooperate with Jordan and support and help it to become a competitive player in global markets."
He referred to the cultural cooperation between the two countries, especially through the German Jordanian University, which sends its students to spend part of their studies in Germany, and that these students can play an important role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
In response to a question, he stressed the important role played by the Munich Group, which includes Jordan, Egypt, France and Germany, to follow up on the developments of the Palestinian cause and its efforts to relaunch serious negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace, noting that the group believes that peace is a strategic choice and a necessity for the security of the region and the world. It came together in a difficult period to demonstrate that hope has not been lost and that the international community is still interested in negotiations that can help achieve progress on the peace track.
He pointed out that there are still no positive signs regarding the immediate re-launch of negotiations and the failure of the Quartet committee to meet at the level of Foreign Ministers or higher for some time, but with that we look to a better future and hope that the current stalemate will end and the talks will return.
He indicated that there is cooperation and coordination between the two countries in the field of combating terrorism and external challenges, and there is an exchange of information between the two sides on a continuous basis, especially in light of Jordan's presence in a region full of challenges, where we also cooperate to strengthen and empower the competent Jordanian authorities in Jordan to face these challenges.
He pointed to the increasing number of German tourists to Jordan recently, which was however affected by the Corona pandemic, expressing his hope that touristic activity will return soon.
He indicated that there is a possibility of cooperation in the medical field, especially since Germany is a producer of medical equipment and supplies, and that Jordan can be a hub in the region to receive patients and provide medical services.
In response to a question, he indicated that Germany always considered the occupation to be an occupation and the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories to be illegal under international law, and that any changes to the lines of June 4, 1967 must be the result of a negotiated agreement between the parties, reviewing the efforts made by Germany in this field, especially since Germany has contact channels with Israel and there is a possibility to start negotiations again.
The Ambassador also highlighted that Germany has provided over 200 million euros of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.
He indicated that Germany's national holiday this year coincides with the holding of the democratic elections held last Sunday in full transparency to form a new elected government.
It is noteworthy that the 3rd of October is the Day of German Unity, which celebrates the occasion of German reunification, and thus represents the country's national holiday, an official holiday.
(Petra)
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